28th July

Out with SC in the evening, first stop Fly Flats briefly, 160 LBBGs roosting and 1 Oystercatcher present. Then on to another site, Spotted Flycatcher, 8 Grey Partridge, 2 Oystercatchers, 1 Buzzard, 4 Kestrels, 1 Grasshopper Warbler reeling, 1 Tawny Owl calling and a Woodcock. We were just about to leave at 21.40 when I noticed a bird out of the corner of my eye flying away from us and over the trees, we only saw it for a matter of 4 or 5 seconds but I am fairly sure it was a Nightjar. It appeared all dark with long wings and a fairly longish tail, there were no signs of any white wing or tail markings. The only other possiblity would be juvenile Cuckoo, but it looked the wrong shape for Cuckoo, not showing such narrow very pointed wing tips and not showing such a long fan shaped tail. The last Calderdale records 19 years ago were in the exact same place. Funny me and DJS have looked for Nightjar on three occasions lately and not had any.