Tweets,

Yesterday, I was out for a biking excursion in the Capitol Forest southwest of Olympia, looking for
Zerene Fritillaries and blackberries. I came upon a nice overlook point where I could see the Mima
Mounds Natural Area Preserve and Glacial Heritage County Park. I decided I would find a high stump
and get a photo or two. As I crossed the clearcut, a Common Nighthawk fluttered feebly out from almost
under my foot. I immediately thought that I had flushed a fledgling from its nest. I thought I might
see eggshells or something else interesting since I'd never seen a nighthawk nest before. So, training
my eyes on the spot from which the bird flushed, I saw, instead, 2 little fluff balls. The bird I had
flushed was the adult, apparently feigning inability to fly. I took a few photos of the little downies
and left the scene. The adult was back at the nest in a matter of minutes.

The little chicks were only a few inches long. They sat on debris from a rotten, downed log, little bits
of reddish punky wood surrounded them. Other than that, it was just a typical piece of ground in a clearcut...
with a nice view.

Kelly McAllister
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Olympia, Washington
Reply to: mcallkrm at dfw.wa.gov