From SCCF’s Audrey Albrecht on April 9: I hope that you are doing well. This year SCCF is partnered with ARCI, the City of Sanibel, and J.N. "Ding" Darling NWR to establish an island wide swallow-tailed kite monitoring program. We are hoping to better understand the island's kite population and their success rates using Australian Pines as these trees are not their usual preferred nest trees. Today we discovered your Rue Belle Mer Kites have returned and are building a new nest structure! We saw 4 kites, so there is a possibility you may have a second nest as well.
If you think anyone in your neighborhood would be interested in participating in our monitoring program as a volunteer nest monitor, there is information on ARCI's kite website here: https://www.arcinst.org/eyes-on-kites/ or they are welcome to contact me with questions as well.
Below is the photo that Audrey sent with her email.
June 16 update: Our neighbor Michelle Young has been monitoring our kites and was able to take two great photos of our kite chick. (See below.) Thanks Michelle!
July 3 update from Michelle (the photo she mentions is below): The kite chick has successfully fledged and can be seen flying around with its parents. I have attached the last photo I took from the nest which shows the fledgling trying out his wings while staying safely in the nest.
