August Nighthawk Watch at Longmeadow Flats

Twenty-two Allen Bird Club members gathered at the viewing platform on Pondside Road in Longmeadow to search the sky from 6:45 until dark.  We watched, and watched, and watched.

There was good news and bad news this evening.  The good news was that everyone had a great time catching up with long time members and meeting our newer members.  During all the conversations the members managed to spot 17 species.

Swifts, Cedar Waxwings, and a couple of Tree Swallows flew over the water hawking insects.  We watched several Mallards and Wood Ducks fly by to their nightly roosting spot.  Two large groups of grackles perched for a time across the pond in the treetops.  On the other side an even larger group of blackbirds, mostly Red-winged, flew out from the trees to disappear in the nearby swamps.  Two cormorants were perched in their favorite snags, soon joined by a third.  A Green Heron flew across, and then a second.  Also spotted were a flicker, robin, kingfisher, and a couple of Great Blue Herons.

And now for the bad news -- only one Common Nighthawk was seen and unfortunately many in the group missed it, including one of the leaders.

Let's hope that next year the nighthawks will cooperate!