Two White-tailed Kites along the Salal Trail, as photographed by Eric Zetterholm.

White-tailed Kites are exciting to see. Usually they are spotted hovering in the air as they search for prey for a meal. Eric Zetterholm found two Kites resting in a tree along Salal Trail, which is a public access trail on The Sea Ranch.

Perhaps this is a mated pair, as some birds are pairing up already. White-tailed Kites aren't found in much of the United States, so it's a treat that they are year round residents of the Mendonoma Coast. They have a rather sweet call which you can hear at this link to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/White-tailed_Kite/sounds

Thanks to Eric for allowing me to share his photos with you here.

oh, it was a beautiful day here on the coast today, albeit quite cool. The horizon is clear and I'll be watching to see if there is a green flash at sunset.