An update: last night (8/25), about 20 Common Nighthawks flew southeast (more east than south) over my house (just north of Arapahoe and University) in Centennial (Arapahoe). It didn't seem like a migratory flight; they were lowish and sort of feeding. But who knows. A few potential destinations, nearby, are southeast: Holly Park, Willow Spring Open Space, and the Big Dry Creek.
Looking forward to autumn, but not to saying goodbye, for another half year, to these birds. - Jared Del Rosso Centennial, CO On Thursday, August 19, 2021 at 10:44:34 AM UTC-6 Jared Del Rosso wrote: > Last night offered a wonderful opportunity to bird watch from my yard in > Centennial (Arapahoe). The evening began early, around 5:40, with a flock > of 8 Common Nighthawks feeding over my yard, University Ave, and the edge > of deKoevend Park. Within ninety minutes, the flock had nearly tripled in > size, with 22 or so nighthawks making great passes over the area. Unlike > swallows, who seem to zip circles over fields, nighthawks seem to take > longer, less direct routes for food. They'd come and go from my yard, > disappearing for a time, then returning, it seemed, endlessly. The flock > closed the evening by lowering their flights -- from a good distance above > the neighborhood cottonwoods and Siberian Elm to just above tree level. > > Between the nighthawks' arrival and departure, I spent a little time at > deKoevend Park (not birding). I saw the nighthawks there, too (around > 6:30). When I arrived, I encountered three ravens riding a thermal over > baseball fields. A Red-tailed Hawk came through soon after, preening on the > baseball field lights. Swallows fed over the grass and flickers kept > crossing the park. > > Later, back home, the neighborhood Red-tails and Swainson's Hawks rode > thermals to incredible heights. The Swainson's noisily called as they > drifted upward. By the time they settled at the peak of their flight, they > were tiny dots and I would never have known they were birds had I not > watched them get there. > > Swallows, too, at deKoevend and my house fed lower than the nighthawks. A > single hummingbird, species unknown, perched on the hybrid maple in my > yard, silhouetted against the setting sun. > > - Jared Del Rosso > Centennial, CO > > > -- -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en?hl=en * All posts should be signed with the poster's full name and city. Include bird species and location in the subject line when appropriate * Join Colorado Field Ornithologists https://cobirds.org/CFO/Membership/ --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/36ab3930-336c-4725-9da8-ecfbf790b511n%40googlegroups.com.
