ML118914291

Age and sex

Immature Male - X

Observation details

Late. This bird began flying along the dike and then over the water of Lake Josephine at or shortly before 5 p.m. Typical nighthawk shape with long and pointed wings showing bold white bars across the basal portion of the primaries. Overall cold gray and blackish; the underparts were barred with black; the upperwing showed a prominent and broad silvery-gray ulnar bar; the throat appeared grizzled white and gray/black and was not crisp and white (this and wing shape and tail feathers suggest an HY male); tail clearly showed white subterminal band at least on one side of rectrices. The wings appeared somewhat blunt for this species. The bird foraged over the lake, generally staying and only inches above the water. It occasionally rose steeply upward as if chasing something high over the lake. While gliding, it held wings above the body in a V with primaries angled or flexed slightly downward at the wrist. Quick and rapid turns. Apparently juvenile male Common Nighthawks may molt their rectrices before completing migration. This bird exhibited an odd asymmetry, with the left outer rectrices apparently new and showing the white subterminal band of the male. The throat was typical of young bird, being grizzled. We also felt the wing tip was more blunt than expected on adults of this species. P10 is clearly shorter than P9 on this individual, this being a trait thought typical of Lesser Nighthawk. The cold coloration, shape of white wing bar (broadening to rear and squarish), and dark and virtually unbarred inner primaries all fit Common Nighthawk versus Lesser.

Technical information

Model

Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Lens

EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM

ISO

2000

Focal length

400 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire, auto

f-stop

f/5.6

Shutter speed

1/1600 sec

Dimensions

3022 pixels x 2015 pixels

Original file size

2.1 MB