I was sitting in the back yard this evening when, at about 7:15 as dusk
was coming on, a single and silent nightjar briefly made a circle over
the house and disappeared over the neighbor's roof.  I was not able to
get my binocs on it quickly enough to see any white on its wings.

Then I saw movement as a bird landed in a large maple tree in my front
side yard and folded its wings.  With binocs, I saw that it was the
nightjar, perched lengthwise on a branch.  Because of the quickly fading
light, I could only make out the dark silhouette.

I tried to sneak into the garage to get my scope out of the trunk of my
car, but after I got back into the yard and was extending the tripod
legs, the bird took off.  I saw it fly again only briefly before it went
back over the same neighbor's roof and did not return.

Most likely it was a Common Nighthawk - nothing about what I could
determine of its shape or style in flight would contradict that - but I
guess I should just stick with "nightjar sp".

Two or three Chimney Swifts can still be seen overhead a few times a
week.

Kathy Mock
Barberton, OH
Summit Co., DeLorme 41, D6

"Fall is my favorite season in Los Angeles, watching the birds change
color and fall from the trees." -- David Letterman

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