A Good Night for Soaring - Arapahoe

[Jared Del Rosso]

Last night offered a wonderful opportunity to bird watch from my yard in Centennial (Arapahoe). The evening began early, around 5:40, with a flock of 8 Common Nighthawks feeding over my yard, University Ave, and the edge of deKoevend Park. Within ninety minutes, the flock had nearly tripled in size, with 22 or so nighthawks making great passes over the area. Unlike swallows, who seem to zip circles over fields, nighthawks seem to take longer, less direct routes for food. They'd come and go from my yard, disappearing for a time, then returning, it seemed, endlessly. The flock closed the evening by lowering their flights -- from a good distance above the neighborhood cottonwoods and Siberian Elm to just above tree level.

Between the nighthawks' arrival and departure, I spent a little time at deKoevend Park (not birding). I saw the nighthawks there, too (around 6:30). When I arrived, I encountered three ravens riding a thermal over baseball fields. A Red-tailed Hawk came through soon after, preening on the baseball field lights. Swallows fed over the grass and flickers kept crossing the park.

Later, back home, the neighborhood Red-tails and Swainson's Hawks rode thermals to incredible heights. The Swainson's noisily called as they drifted upward. By the time they settled at the peak of their flight, they were tiny dots and I would never have known they were birds had I not watched them get there.

Swallows, too, at deKoevend and my house fed lower than the nighthawks. A single hummingbird, species unknown, perched on the hybrid maple in my yard, silhouetted against the setting sun. 

- Jared Del Rosso
Centennial, CO

[Jared Del Rosso]

An update: last night (8/25), about 20 Common Nighthawks flew southeast (more east than south) over my house (just north of Arapahoe and University) in Centennial (Arapahoe). It didn't seem like a migratory flight; they were lowish and sort of feeding. But who knows. A few potential destinations, nearby, are southeast: Holly Park, Willow Spring Open Space, and the Big Dry Creek. 

Looking forward to autumn, but not to saying goodbye, for another half year, to these birds. 

- Jared Del Rosso

Centennial, CO