2 September 2002
Saturday and Sunday were both overcast days with no real movement of
nighthawks at Van Dyke Park. I saw five on 8-31 and four on 9-01.
This evening started out the same with an overcast skies and no real
prospects of any movement. Saw six nighthawks in the first 1 1/2 hours of
observation. By 1900, however, it cleared up without almost no clouds.
Fifteen minutes later a large kettle of about 80 birds appeared in the
distance to the west. They were actively feeding and drifting to the south.
They stayed around for almost 25 minutes. Without a good cloud background
they were hard to see and I may have missed some.
This week should bring the last big flights. Looking back over 4
years of records the latest I have recorded large nighthawk flights is
September 7. Based on the last two years I should also have two more
flights of 100 or more nighthawks.
Checked the nocturnal feeding area at Tyson's Corner on Saturday and
tonight. There were 2 on 8-31 and none on 9-01.
Paul Woodward
Fairfax City, VA 22032
grackling@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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