Black-Shouldered Kite

BLACK SHOULDERED KITE Elanus axillaris

  I could see this kite sitting high in a dead tree looking over the paddocks. It was a long way off, really too far for a photograph, but I fired off a few frames anyway.

I tried to approach a little closer and the bird flew off in a leisurely circle away from me.

When I got home I loaded up the pictures along with the others I taken that day.

Of the ten or so shots of the kite, only two were even close to being focused. Looking closely at those, I could see what looks to be an arrow protruding from the bird's neck. I could only see the front view so I am still not totally sure

Could it be a stick that the bird has run into while chasing prey on the ground? I don't think so. This stick looks too much like a manufactured piece of equipment.

I remember seeing a White-faced crane not too long ago with what I then thought was an arrow hanging from its thigh. One sighting might be a mistake, two sightings within the are look a lot more suspicious.

Poor birds!