Antillean Nighthawk

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Posted by Trey Mitchell on 22:41:13 05/30/05

Sunday evening I went down to the fields near the Homestead Motor Speedway to try and locate the White Rumped Sandpiper that Toe spotted earlier in the day. Unsuccessful in my search at that location I decided to try the other fields in the area. I only found egrets, dozens of Black necked Stilts and a few Semipalmated Sandpipers.

While driving very slowly on Mowry Dr. near 132nd Ave I saw a Nighthawk and didn't think much about it until I was very near it and I heard the call "pity-pit-pit". It was raspy, like a nighthawk. I knew the call because I had just spent Saturday with Toe looking for one. Early on Saturday I listened to several recorded calls of birds we were going to be targeting, one of which was the Antillean. Toe had also demonstrated the call for me several times during the day as well.

I stopped my van and grabbed my camera. There was only one nighthawk near by and I started taking photos. Not really knowing that wasn't going to be much help in ID. The nighthawk flew very near me for a few minutes before moving further down the road. I only heard the call twice and that was while I was in the van. (windows down, AC and Radio off) After I stopped, the bird made no call at all the entire time I watched.

I went back early this morning to look for the Shiny Cowbirds that Paul saw the other day. I also looked for the nighthawk again but didn't see one in the area.

Toe tried to confirm the sighting this evening with no luck.

I know that I am new to birding down here in South Florida, but I am very confident that I did hear the call of an Antillean Nighthawk and took photos of the only Nighthawk near by after hearing the call.

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Re: Antillean Nighthawk - Rock Jetty 08:48:13 05/31/05 (0)

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Comments:	: Sunday evening I went down to the fields near the Homestead Motor Speedway to try and locate the White Rumped Sandpiper that Toe spotted earlier in the day. Unsuccessful in my search at that location I decided to try the other fields in the area. I only found egrets, dozens of Black necked Stilts and a few Semipalmated Sandpipers. : : While driving very slowly on Mowry Dr. near 132nd Ave I saw a Nighthawk and didn't think much about it until I was very near it and I heard the call "pity-pit-pit". It was raspy, like a nighthawk. I knew the call because I had just spent Saturday with Toe looking for one. Early on Saturday I listened to several recorded calls of birds we were going to be targeting, one of which was the Antillean. Toe had also demonstrated the call for me several times during the day as well. : : I stopped my van and grabbed my camera. There was only one nighthawk near by and I started taking photos. Not really knowing that wasn't going to be much help in ID. The nighthawk flew very near me for a few minutes before moving further down the road. I only heard the call twice and that was while I was in the van. (windows down, AC and Radio off) After I stopped, the bird made no call at all the entire time I watched. : : I went back early this morning to look for the Shiny Cowbirds that Paul saw the other day. I also looked for the nighthawk again but didn't see one in the area. : : Toe tried to confirm the sighting this evening with no luck. : : I know that I am new to birding down here in South Florida, but I am very confident that I did hear the call of an Antillean Nighthawk and took photos of the only Nighthawk near by after hearing the call.
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