Burr Williams has been very, very quiet in his corner of the virtual world, over at El Llanero ... but out here, in the actual world, he remains on call, and more than happy to discuss one's observations in West Texas naturalism ...
I was one of those callers, this week ...
After dropping-off the boys at school, over in the southeast corner of Midland (a mixture of homes, open lots and mature trees), I caught a movement out of the corner of my eye ... at first, I took them to be a couple of large pigeons, but they just didn't 'fly right.' I had a chance to pull over, park, and take a closer look ... nope, those were not pigeons.
Consulting my little, paperback Golden Field Guide to Birds of North America, I was looking at a pair of mature Mississippi Kites.
Didn't seem likely, though ... so, once I got to work, I called Burr at the Sibley Center. He confirmed it ... that's exactly what I saw. He then went on to tell me about kites, their hunting habits and their diet ... and how that diet is threatened by changes here, in West Texas.
I have said before, that Burr Williams is one of West Texas' preeminent natural historians ... which he demonstrated, once again, in answering my call.
I guess you could say he, too, is a natural - and very valuable - resource.
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Several years ago there was an entire family of Kites nesting near my parents house [between Bowie and San Jacinto]. We got to watch the fledglings grow....there must have been 4 or 5. It was a treat watching them hovering, then swooping down to catch locust in mid-air. Also there used to be several out near Midland Country Club....even pecking several golfers as I recall.
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