Savoring the Swallowtails

I confess that I have never been skilled at photographing flying birds. It is not for a lack of trying, but somehow, either by the camera or the one holding the camera, the focus is invariably wrong.

So I usually just admit this and watch flying birds instead of trying again to capture them digitally. However, when we came upon six swallow-tailed kites flying  over a pasture, I just had to give it a shot. These are the only two worth showing of all the clicks of the camera-- and they are not great. Swallow tails are probably my favorite Florida bird and they are only here for a few week during the spring and summer. By August, they are heading south on their migration to winter in the Caribbean. I love them for their form, for their grace, for their illusiveness.