SNAIL KITES

In late February and early March 2009 a number of Snail Kites, which are facing decreasing natural habitat and food source (apple snails) due to development, were spotted in western rural St. Lucie County. Hart Rufe photographed a female hunting on Carlton Road, south of S.R. 70. Then Mary and Jack Dodge saw a male sitting on a wire on Canal 24 Road, about 1/2 mile west of Glades Cut-Off. Hart checked out this spot and saw, and photographed five. He mentioned that weekends seem to be a better time to go as truck traffic on weekdays is heavy and seems to discourage birds.

(Photographs by Hart Rufe unless noted)

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