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From Bob Augustine

From:

Donald Sweig

Reply-To:

Donald Sweig

Date:

Sun, 21 Aug 2011 14:07:16 -0400

POSTED FOR BOB AUGUSTINE:


Now through about 5 Sept. there are 2 shows featuring Common Nighthawks, one
in the late afternoon, the other after dark. In some cases you can watch
from wherever you are.



After dark, when the lights there come on at 9PM, Nighthawks will congregate
at Tyson's Corner swooping and diving after the insects attracted by the
bright lights (also the Capitol, Washington Monument, and Air Force
Memorial).



If you'd rather bird in daylight, try between 5 and 7:30PM (sometimes as
early as 4 or even 3:30). Unfortunately, there is no sure way of predicting
the date when the largest flight will occur. You just have to check every
day and be prepared to drop everything if you start seeing Nighthawks. Many
days you will see none and can go about your business. Although Nighthawks
tend to follow some rivers and creeks, they can be seen in numbers almost
anywhere--like the gyrating flock of 100 I once saw at 6PM over the
Rockville Metro station. Oddly enough, they fly N or NW until 6 or 6:30,
then mill around, and begin flying S. No one has adequately explained this
behavior seen throughout the Northeast.



Although Nighthawks breed in the United States, they are now few and far
between in many areas. Most of the Nighthawks we see --like the Broad-winged
Hawks, Blue Jays, and Golden Eagles--come from Canada, The record daily
count was at Duluth, MN where on 26 August 1990 43,690 were counted in less
than 3 hours. On 16 August 1986, 16,494 were counted there. At Northhampton,
MA on 22 August 1991 3,674 were counted, the largest flight ever there. My
personal record is over 1,100 on 2 Sept. 1985 in Rockville, MD from my 8th
floor apartment window. A few years later, I had 923. See how many you can
tally.



It sometimes happens that there is a fortuitous hatch of some low-flying
insects which results in many Nighthawks swooping at eye level or even lower
in certain specific spots. I have seen this at a hilltop baseball field in
NY and at the Rockville Civic Center's Glenview Mansion in MD.Todd Day
reported witnessing a similar phenomenon at Manassas Battlefield, VA at
5:30PM on 30 August 2003. You have to pick a spot out in the field somewhere
if you are to experience this.



In this roughly 2-week period, find time to enjoy this spectacle.



Bob Augustine



Rockville, MD

301-933-5970


-- 
Donald Sweig
Falls Church, Va.

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