Nighhawks

Walking into the common area of my condo complex last night, I heard the cry of a Nighthawk, the first of the season.  Just the sound made me smile, a pleasant ending to a long day. 

Of the many birds I enjoy, I may like the Nighthawk best.  In an urban environment, the most common way to become aware of them is to hear their cry, a harsh noise floating in the soft dark of a summer evening.  Once I have heard that sound, I begin looking for them.  A sample of that cry is embedded in the following link. http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Common_Nighthawk/sounds  They are summer residents of the US, spending the winter in South America.  Smart birds!

They aren't hawks, but the sound they make is hawk-like.  In my mind, they are associated with trail-riders and cattle drives because the cowboys who guarded the cattle herd at night were called Nighthawks.  I always figured that it was because it was the Nighthawks who kept the cowboys company during those long nights on the open prairie.

Nighthawks feed on the flying clouds of insects and it is common to see them harvesting bugs, flying above the high-powered lights at big-box parking lots or at ball parks. Watching these birds fly is really something.  They are  aerial acrobats, diving, swooping, their white wing-bars flashing.

If you are in the Dallas area and want to learn more about birds, consider a trip to the wonderful, newly opened Audubon Center.    Admission is free once a month.  Check their website for details. http://www.trinityriveraudubon.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Home