In Half Moon Bay, there is a section of preserved land south of Poplar Beach that is the best spot for finding raptors.  There are hawks, there are kestrals, and there are kites.  For months, I have been trying to get a good picture of a White-Tailed Kite.  Success:

I was very lucky to get close to him.  They typically take off before I can get within 50 feet.  This kite was sitting in some bushes in the center of the field.  I like to look at the yellow surrounding his beak and his raccoon eyes.

Kites usually hang out on the tops of trees.  When I’m looking for raptors, I always up.

I have spent hours watching them flying around.

Notice the black spots underneath their wings.  This is a very useful way to quickly identify kites.

I can’t tell what this one has in his mouth.  Kites eat rodents and insects.

In this picture, he reminds me of a mythical griffin.

The kites spend time hunting with other kites.

These guys seem to have gotten in a scuffle.  The picture is a bit fuzzy, but the event was quite epic!

This picture shows the size comparison between a hawk and the kite.  I’m honestly not sure if this is a red-tailed hawk or another type of hawk.  We have many red-tailed hawks and I’m not yet familiar enough with hawks to identify their backs.

I often hear the kites before I see them.  They make a quiet “kee” noise.  It’s very soothing.