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Common Nighthawk ?? - John H. (9th Jul 2021  14:46:22) Did anyone else spot a pair of hawks over Liphook today that looked and especially sounded like two of the above ? V. Rare in these parts; some sightings reported over Richmond Park I believe ??? Male missing tail feather..

Re: Common Nighthawk ?? - Sarah (9th Jul 2021  20:55:28) That would be pretty amazing if it was!!! Did you get a picture or recording of their call?

Re: Common Nighthawk ?? - Rachel Rabbit (10th Jul 2021  08:18:31) I am so happy someone else has observed this wonderful bird. The first time I saw it was a week ago on Weavers Down, about 9.45pm. It was a magnificent sight to behold. I thought I caught a glimpse again last night around Portsmouth road area too.

Re: Common Nighthawk ?? - sarah (10th Jul 2021  09:31:44) We do have a pair of red kites that are regularly over Liphook and one is particularly vocal. Common night hawks are a very rare sighting in the UK so perhaps you could send information of the sighting to www.birdguides.com.

Re: Common Nighthawk ?? - WENDY MARTIN (10th Jul 2021  10:00:54) we had what I thought was a female merlin on our lawn, it had caught something and was really enjoying its meal. What does a night hawk look like? the bird I saw had a plain brown back, with a speckled chest, and was quite small for a bird of prey

Re: Common Nighthawk ?? - Sarah (10th Jul 2021  10:54:26) Wendy Merlins are our smallest bird of prey, but it could also have been a sparrow hawks which are also quite small with the males smaller than the females. Have a google for common nighthawks. They are from America and a very rare sighting in the UK with less than 10 records I think. They are in the same family as our nightjar which is here on the heathlands at the moment.

Re: Common Nighthawk ?? - Anon (10th Jul 2021  11:11:21) Nighthawk has a distinct sound, very different from buzzard or red kite (sounds a bit like a shepherd whistling his sheep dog). The red kites have successfully nested and raised 3 chicks this year which have now fledged. Wendy I think that sounds like a sparrow hawk. Will keep an ear and eye out for nighthawks now too!

Re: Common Nighthawk ?? - John H (10th Jul 2021  14:59:05) Thank you all for your replies; bird of the year in USA 2013 would have been a massive rarity over Liphook... so skinny wings = young pair of Red Kites; excellent ! Red and Black now. Calls matched on line Red Kite recordings too.

Re: Common Nighthawk ?? - D (11th Jul 2021  19:27:43) Red Kites are seen daily on the fields along Devils Lane, four or more in the air is common. I do wonder if they nest in that locality.

Re: Common Nighthawk ?? - Rachel Rabbit (12th Jul 2021  19:17:10) I see the Red Kites around quite often. Have to admit first time ever seeing the amazing Night Hawks though :-)

Re: Common Nighthawk ?? - Paul Robinson (13th Jul 2021  05:37:50) The Common Nighthawk is not really a hawk at all. It is a member of the Chordeiles family of which the Nightjar is also a member. The Common Nighthawk is from North and South America. It feeds on insects and hunts mainly at dawn and dusk. There have been sightings recorded in the UK but they are very rare. The last was in 2020 in West Sussex and Kent. Paul Robinson

Re: Common Nighthawk ?? - Rachel Rabbit (13th Jul 2021  17:53:56) Yes I know, a very exciting sighting. Don't worry, I do know my birds :-) Spent many a day at RSPB Sandy in Bedfordshire as a young girl many Moons ago. Been extremely interested in ornithology all my life.

Re: Common Nighthawk ?? - Anon (13th Jul 2021  19:58:21) Has anyone seen a kestrel lately? Used to see them daily particularly over bramshott common but don’t recall seeing one for years.

Re: Common Nighthawk ?? - Paul (16th Jul 2021  09:51:33) Love seeing the red kites - almost like clockwork, the vocal one appears overhead around 1000. I’ve seen 4 together, but I suspect there are 5 locally? I had a very close encounter early morning with the male last year, it decided to have a look at me while running in Milland. I won’t say exactly where, but having seen them late at night settling down I have a rough idea where they nest. Tucked away safely!

Re: Common Nighthawk ?? - D (16th Jul 2021  13:49:56) Hello, Paul. One landed very close to me recently (l was out of it's sight so it didn't see me). They are HUGE!

Re: Common Nighthawk ?? - John Jonson (16th Jul 2021  17:23:17) Anybody feeding wild prey birds at home?

Re: Common Nighthawk ?? - local resident (16th Jul 2021  18:41:41) There is sometimes a kestrel hovering over the Bramshott A3 bridge. The red kits are fabulous. One regularly quarters the Headley Road early doors - they fly so low. I was in high Wycombe a few years ago, close to where they were first re-introduced. The sky was FULL of them. Literally dozens.. I guess this is coming our way.

Re: Common Nighthawk ?? - Anon (16th Jul 2021  21:55:28) That’s great to hear, I’ve not seen a kestrel in a long time. The red kites are fascinating to watch, particularly when they’re mixing with the buzzards and crows!

Re: Common Nighthawk ?? - Lac (18th Jul 2021  12:54:14) We have friends in Aylesbury who live on a large estate of houses. Several of the residents now feed Red Kites on kitchen scraps (chicken leg bones) using bird tables. They are a spectacular sight close up with a nearly 5 ft wingspan. Don’t worry about them snatching your small pet - they are opportunistic carrion feeders. However, like all wild animals making them too reliant on humans for food is not a good thing. We don’t want Red Kites snatching bacon butties from our hands do we?

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