Wow--this past weekend, I had a similar experience in my front yard. A
bird, fitting much the same description (except I was on an upstairs
balcony, and the bird zoomed by, closer to the ground). All I saw was a
dark upper side, and a white patch on the rump (kinda like a Northern
Harrier, though it was DEFINITELY NOT a Harrier).

Does anyone have any idea what this bird might be? I'm REALLY curious.
All I remember was thinking that it was the size of a jay or crow, and it
had a proportionally long, square tail. Dark topside with the white patch
on the tail, near the rump, etc.

Now I'm even *more* curious, particularly since this will be a new
addition to my life list!!

Thanks,
-Jacki Bricker
Woodinville, Washington


On Thu, 13 Apr 2000 NJPharris at aol.com wrote:

> Tweets,
>
> I took a short break this morning at about 10:00 and walked out of my office
> at the corner of 10th and Washington in downtown Olympia. At one point I
> happened to look up and see a very dark, approx. crow-sized form with a small
> head, long, squared-off tail, and long, sharply tapered wings zoom by, about
> 10m off the ground, using rapid, shallow wingbeats. It eventually landed in
> the top of an evergreen tree, too far for me to make out any details.
>
> Could this have been a nighthawk? I've never identified one before. What
> else could it have been?
>
> Nick Pharris
> Olympia, WA
> NJPharris at aol.com
>

-Jacki