Nightjar?

[Nick D]

Hi,
this is probably going to sound a bit vauge - and apologies for that...

I am trying to identify a bird that I am experiencing most evenings after dusk and into the night. I am located in NE England (Darlington) in semi rural area, lost of open farmland.

I have looked in numerous books and have narrowed it down to a nightjar..

I have not had a close view as it is usually dark when it is around - It flys quite erratically, not as much as a swift or swallow, but definitly darts around.
It seems to be the size of a large blackbird but may be deceptive due to darkness.

In flight I hear a constant shrill calling. There seems to be 2 or 3 of them flying around.

Is there anything else it could be??

thanks

[Tursiops2]

Originally Posted by Nick D

In flight I hear a constant shrill calling. There seems to be 2 or 3 of them flying around.

Is there anything else it could be??

thanks

Hallo Nick D, welcome to the forum.

I don't know what your area is like for nightjars, but from your description I'd guess this could be one of the larger bats, Noctule perhaps?

HTH
Tursiops2

[Nick D]

thanks for your answer - definitly not a bat - it is definitly a bird. We do have lots of bats round here, but the mystery in question is most definitly feathered.

[Tursiops2]

Originally Posted by Nick D

thanks for your answer - definitly not a bat - it is definitly a bird. We do have lots of bats round here, but the mystery in question is most definitly feathered.

Fair enough. I really couldn't say if nightjars are to be found in your area, though - they are quite restricted in their distribution, and tend to be found on heathland or open woodland rather than farmland. Hopefully someone else can shed more light.
T2

[Deer Hunter]

I would say this is a nightjar.
I live on heathland and see them everynight, in fact I even found a nest with two eggs while out walking a few days ago.
I also know someone who lives on the outskirts of town where there is an area of waste ground, once a factory, shortly to be developed. Each night he hears a nightjar calling from the waste ground thats no more than a football pitch in size.

[Dogghound]

Theres nightjars on the edges of conifer plantaions at the south of the north york moors, Your description sounds very similar to these. can you seen any white patches on the wings towards the tips? which can be seen on males. Although the call is slightly different to what you describe.

[John]

Two things are throwing me about your descriptions. First the shrill call. No way does a Nightjar have a shrill call. It is a churr and very unmistakable. This is done when perched.

Also there is a one note, fairly quiet, given mainly in flight but also just before take-off, primarily by ♂. Alarm- and warning-calls consist of series of ‘chuk’ or ‘chek’ sounds, with some units doubled (i.e. ‘chek-ek’, etc.); not unlike ‘chink’ or ‘chik’ calls of Blackbird.

The other problem I have is your description of a darting flight. I can't recall Nightjar with that type of flight. Their flight I would loosely compare with a butterfly. Quite a clumsy flight.

I would also expect you to possibly hear their wing clapping as it is quite distinctive.

Having said that, if it isn't a Nightjar I'm not sure what else it could be.

Woodcocks fly at similar times but their Roding song of ♂ consists of (generally) 2–5 slow but accelerating deep croaking or growling sounds (snore-notes) followed by sudden loud shrill sneeze (sneeze-note), each complete sequence mechanically repeated with silent intervals of 2–2.5 s. ♀ may call down roding ♂ with softer version of ♂’s sneeze-note: ‘iiiitz-iiiitz’, ‘psit’, etc.

Now that I have confused you I will leave you to it.

John

[Deer Stalker]

Not sure how far north they are but it could be a Nightjar.
They have an eratic 'floaty' type of flight, but the flight-call is a quick 'koo'ik' & I would have thought the most obvious sound would have been the 'churring'.

[Deer Stalker]

John, you beat me to it.

[Nick D]

thanks everyone for the fast replies.

I have been out this evening to have another look/listen. I cant get close enough to see any wing patterns. The call that i hear seem to be made in flight only, - it seems to have 3 distinct parts to it, 3 short wistles or "squeaks" made very quick succesion, the first and third "squeaks" are identical, and the second one is of a slightly different pitch.
Is there a website that you can listen to different bird calls?