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 cobirds@googlegroups.com 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 cobirds+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/36ab3930-336c-4725-9da8-ecfbf790b511n%40googlegroups.com.
