I walked up to the woods yesterday evening, and there, dancing in the air, with the red band of sunset as stage backdrop, was the first nightjar of the year. No bird is more balletic; there were pirouettes, chassés, séautés, swoops, punctuated by dead-stops, every wing and tail feather air-braking.
A gorgeous essay and introduction to the magical nightjar. Thank you for taking me on this journey. An American cousin to the nightjar is the nighthawk (Chordeiles minor) where I live, who “peents” while hunting insects, and makes a booming sound as air rushes through his primary feathers while diving.
Oh, I love this! I’m so happy I found you! I love birdwatching and use my Audubon app regularly and highly recommend it. I’m excited to read more to see which bird you’ll feature next.
Normally we have 2 pairs in the wood here (dept 17), only one at moment - but all our summer migrants below strength, hopefully merely delayed by the weather...
The Nightjar has yet to make its presence heard here in SW France… every year the question of whether it will or not though is whispered quietly (in case they hear my concern..) as to whether it will or it won’t… I can but pray loudly!
Beautiful, John. And how blessed to have Nightjars on your doorstep! It makes me sad that Baker could once see Nightjar in the vicinity of Chelmsford where I live - and now I would have to travel a good 100km or so to witness the spectacle. Every year I tell myself, "this is the year I will go and see nightjar". Perhaps this year I will.
A gorgeous essay and introduction to the magical nightjar. Thank you for taking me on this journey. An American cousin to the nightjar is the nighthawk (Chordeiles minor) where I live, who “peents” while hunting insects, and makes a booming sound as air rushes through his primary feathers while diving.
Oh, I love this! I’m so happy I found you! I love birdwatching and use my Audubon app regularly and highly recommend it. I’m excited to read more to see which bird you’ll feature next.
Normally we have 2 pairs in the wood here (dept 17), only one at moment - but all our summer migrants below strength, hopefully merely delayed by the weather...
The Nightjar has yet to make its presence heard here in SW France… every year the question of whether it will or not though is whispered quietly (in case they hear my concern..) as to whether it will or it won’t… I can but pray loudly!
Beautiful, John. And how blessed to have Nightjars on your doorstep! It makes me sad that Baker could once see Nightjar in the vicinity of Chelmsford where I live - and now I would have to travel a good 100km or so to witness the spectacle. Every year I tell myself, "this is the year I will go and see nightjar". Perhaps this year I will.
It's worth a trip! But, yes, Essex does seem to be unusually (for the south) nightjar-less. A very real pity. V best