Not so "negative" numbers of nighthawks in Nashua

[Jeanne-Marie Maher]

Finally a decent, no fabulous evening of nighthawk watching, alongside my intrepid non-birding husband (aka "chuck" of chuck will's widow).
But prior to the official start of the watch we stopped for an ice cream at King Kone, which just happens to be across from (the town of Merrimack's) Horseshoe Pond where Molly had birds last night. In 12 short minutes we garnered a quick 61 nighthawks picking up from what seemed like the treetops and disappearing eastward toward the Merrimack River.
So we immediately headed down to the High Street Garage. Finally, the night tally (for the garage alone included :
556 (yes indeed folks from Nashua) Common nighthawks! (Not counting Horseshoe pond)
Though most were not close, they appeared to be over Greeley Park, Mine Falls Park but the preponderance seemed to be "running" the Merrimack River. (Perhaps a better spot would be along the Merrimack and maybe the confluence with the Nashua.)
Additional sightings included 354 chimney swifts, 2 adult bald eagles, 1 Cooper's hawk 2 red tail Hawks, 1 Peregrine (coming in to apparently roost at dusk on the Coptic Church), a Great blue Heron a kettle of 32 Turkey Vultures and various finches, geese, gulls, pigeons, crows, and waxwings

The mood was so celebratory that someone sent up cluster of 4 large balloons and 20 sky divers dropped from the skies to watch the spectacle.

Jeanne-Marie Maher
Nashua , New Hampshire

[Christine Sheridan]

Congratulations to the intrepid Nashua crew of two!

Buoyed by last nights ant-flight after dark in Dunstable ,"most ancient towne" and a flurry of bull-bats in the morning, I repaired to Great Meadow this evening with high hopes, having seen a flight of hundreds there last year at this time.

There were only 5 sky-divers, a few fireworks down the road, and 0 Common Nighthawks...should have stayed in Nashua.

I do agree that being able to watch a good site consistently is important.    I have not been able to get out every day, and last year I had around 25 birds a night leading up to an evening with  conservative count of 426, then dropping off to 19 the next night.  You never know if the night you miss might be a "big night!"

Chris Sheridan

Nashua

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