Common Nighthawk - Finally

[Brian Bailey]

I heard & saw my first Common Nighthawk of the year this evening.  I don't keep records, but it seems like a record late arrival.  They're generally summer residents in my neighbourhood, so I hear them most evenings once they arrive.  Has anyone else seen them back earlier?  Maybe it's just my locals that were late coming back.

BB

[Len Manning]

I don't know where you live, but Common Nighthawks are anything but Common. They are on a steady decline and are getting harder and harder to find each year.

[Andreas Jonsson]

If you want to see them there is a pair hunting at close distance above the John Gibson House in Trinity Bellwoods Park every night.

[Brian Bailey]

I live just west of Sam Smith Park.  I'm seeing a single bird regularly in the evenings now.  They are not doing well in general and my local population is noticeably down from what it was about 10 years ago. I think they used to nest on the roofs of Humber College and the filtration plant, but I haven't seen any evidence of that recently.

It is a very good area for aerial insectivores.  There is a large Cliff Swallow colony on south building of the filtration plant plus large numbers of Tree & Barn Swallows and a few Rough-winged nesting in the park and an active Purple Martin house just east of the park (in a lakeside backyard).

BB

[BIGFRANK]

Ive been up at Kortright Centre..more accurately the Canadian Peregrine Foundation Raptor Centre there,and Tracy and I have seen almost 70 Common Nighthawks in migration so far. They seem to pass over us around 7pm in the evening. One group numbered 18.
 Last week while checking the Peregrine Falcon nest at William Osler Hospital,we saw a group of 16 Nighthawks go by.

[jackbreakfast]

Roughly 6 nighthawks observed tonight near Sunnyside Pavillion, down by the Lakeshore boardwalk. Their white wingbands were very easy to see.

[thouc]

This evening I saw my first Common Nighthawks of the year. About 10 of them joined the regular group of at least 30 Chimney Swifts before continuing south.
This was in Etobicoke.