DUNCANVILLE, TEXAS — I’m leaving for Africa in four days. Pressures have been so intense lately that I’ve not been able to do much more than think wistfully about birds. No warblers for me. I haven’t even been able to finish writing up reports from the trips I did manage to make last month. Not that I’m complaining. I mean, I’m going to Africa! And, I see Western Kingbirds and Scissor-tailed Flycatchers on my drives across town, or occasionally an egret.

On my way home from work this noon, I noticed a small feathered body atop a traffic light. Being a busy intersection, it was a terrible place to look, but I managed to get a brief glimpse and decided that the bird was probably a nighthawk. Fjord and I returned an hour later, and the bird was still present. It was indeed a Common Nighthawk, Chordeiles minor. It was still on its perch at 4:15 p.m. and at 6:08 p.m. as I returned from the office. Apparently it chose this busy, noisy, so very unlikely spot to roost today.

And now, I’m excited to introduce the first video clip ever to appear on Search and Serendipity. You don’t just get to read about the city nighthawk … you get to watch the city nighthawk:

Shortly after Fjord started filming the bird, a gust of wind apparently pushed it off its perch, so you will see it fluttering briefly before settling down again.

If all goes well, I’ll be able to post videos of Cameroon birds before too long. Stay tuned.