Lifer! I was out looking for migrant birds this morning and my wife spotted three “hawks” soaring high above. I couldn't ID them from the camera or binoculars, but I knew they weren't typical buteos. Then one appeared almost at eye-level. It was a group of four Mississippi Kites! What a treat for our last day here in Western North Carolina. Turns out they are a first record for Avery County, North Carolina!