Common Nighthawk and migration count

["Sue Pulsipher" <puls@infi.net>]

Heard my first Common Nighthawk of this year this evening.  There was a
single call which prompted me to go outside and look for the bird.  Found
two birds swooping over the lake amongst a crowd of Chimney Swifts.  The
Nighthawks did not call again in my hearing.  Then later a pair of Great
Horned Owls started up a duet.

Of course neither bird was in evidence yesterday when I counted birds in
this area for Migration Day.  Still I had my best species count ever.  I
think the higher count is due to a) greater familiarity with the area and
the best time of day to visit spots, and b) increasing ability to identify
birds by song.  This area is all private land and so I bird along the
roadways.  The highlights were good views of a Louisiana Waterthrush
singing, 4 separate Loggerheaded Shrike sightings, and both Indigo Bunting
and Summer Tanager sitting up on wires.

Sue Pulsipher
Linden, N.C.
puls@infi.net