Date: 8/26/26 5:48 pm From: 'Rob Woodward' via NHBirds <nhbirds...> Subject: [NHBirds] 713 Common Nighthawks - Franklin Falls
Now 5 out of the 10 counts this season have featured NW winds. But a decent count was made anyways, possibly because the NW winds were light then turning calm by 6:00. It was a funny count. 86 between 4 and 5:oo, then nothing until 6:00 when a flock of 340 was counted then a few hundred more after 7:00.
I thank Kathy Wheeler for her help again, sorry you missed the big one. But she did get her chocolate "reward" after all. By my count that still leaves 99 deluxe dark chocolate candy bars for visitors and helpers. Bribes they say?!?!? Ha! Generous reward are they. What do the cheapskates hand out in Concord? Garden vegetables??
This is true. I am starting to see Concord defects up here. You are to know you are welcome here. You will be granted full asylum.
Question of The Day: Do nighthawks migrate at night? Here is some new technical data that supports our belief that they do not. In the most recent issue of NH Audubon's "Afield" newsletter there is an article on several individual birds that have been tracked by Motus. A nighthawk was tagged in Maine, flew down the east coast, across the Caribbean, and pinged a motus tower in La Dorada, Colombia (not its final destination.). I measured the distance at 2,742 miles. Let's subtract the 1200 miles over the Caribbean and 2 days to fly that. Let's also subtract 8 days of unfavorable weather (1 in 4 days). I calculate 26 days to cover 1542 miles at 25 mph comes to about 2 1/2 hours per day. Say 5:00 pm to 7:30 pm. Just right.
Rob WoodwardLaconia, NH
