Well, actually night and evening birds.  Tonight while watching a Cross-country meet in Upper Arlington, I noted 10 Common Nighthawks flycatching over Thompsen Park.  This is the 'third wave' of migrant nighthawks that always seems to materialize in early October.  I can't help but think that they must be from much further north than the earlier 2 waves which peak in late August and mid-Sept.

Chimney swifts were also present over the park, and many areas have seen daytime flocks as the birds are migrating through.  Local roosts have fragmented as new arrivals choose new sites or bypass Columbus entirely.  My reconaissance of local roosts over the last 3 evenings showed that local roosts have declined (Gahanna, Bexley, Westerville) or disappeared (Whitehall, Worthington), which is fairly typical in early October.  I guess the warm weather isn't fooling the swifts, and they're strictly cued to daylength changes.

Finally, last night had a good overflight of nocturnal migrants.  Between 3:30 and 4 AM this morning, I had 27 Swainson's Thrushes, 13 Gray-cheeked, 2 likely Hermit Thrushes, 4 warblers, and 2 sparrows.  I wasn't able to spend much time looking this morning, but I would think that the last waves of neotropicals are probably upon us.  Check the skies tonight.

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