I agree with Dave that European Nightjar is a possibility, in that it 
would have been common enough in the late 19th century summer on 
Wessex Heaths.  On the other hand, would it "alight Upon the 
wind-warped upland thorn . . "?    More likely would it just fly 
around churring or perhaps alight upon the ground?

More of this and we will need a new list-serv for poetically inclined 
birders.  Kudos to Gail for raising the literary tone around here!

Mike B.
Bethesda
whose boarding school in Wales force fed him a lot of Thomas Hardy 
while prohibiting him from leaving the school grounds at dusk in 
search of birds of any sort

At 11:00 PM 4/27/2008 -0400, CURSON, David wrote:
>Gail,
>
>I don't know for sure what the dewfall-hawk is, but my guess is a 
>nightjar (European nightjar) since they are nocturnal and were 
>common in southern England in Hardy's day.
>
>Dave
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Maryland Birds & Birding [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
>Behalf Of Gail Frantz
>Sent: Saturday, April 26, 2008 7:30 AM
>To: 
>Subject: [MDOSPREY] Hardy and the Dewfall-hawk
>
>
>Anyone out there know which bird Thomas Hardy was referring to in,
>Afterwards, when he wrote:
>
>If it be in the dusk when, like an eyelid's soundless blink,
>    The dewfall-hawk comes crossing the shades to alight
>Upon the wind-warped upland thorn, a gazer may think,
>    'To him this must have been a familiar sight.'
>
>Thanks,
>
>Gail Frantz
>Old Hanover Rd
>Reisterstown, MD
>

D.H. Michael Bowen
8609 Ewing Drive
Bethesda, MD  20817
Telephone: (301) 530-5764
e-mail:  dhmbowenATyahooDOTcom