VEFLs and LENIs

Well, a few cool birds to report. I went to SJWS today at dusk and managed to get some flashing views of the Vermillion Flycatchers snatching a few more midges before they tucked in for the night. The poor birds were being knocked around by the wind pretty badly. Flying out from one tree, getting their insect, and ending up two cottonwoods over!

Last night, while standing around after class with a few other classmates, trying to decide where we were going, I spotted two or three birds flying in the lamplight nearby. The giss (general impresson, shape and size) suggested nighthawk, as did the buffy color underneath. I didn't really give them too much thought, Lesser Nighthawks aren't terribly rare for Orange County, but apparently this is late in the year to see them, they're predominantly a summer bird... who knew? So that was a very neat thing for me.

EDIT: I went to IVC tonight with John Luther and Jim Lomax to try for the nighthawks. No dice, it was super windy, unlike last night, so there were no bugs around the lights that I had seen the birds flying around the night before. Will try tomorrow too since I'll be there for class anyhow...