Nighthawk wide open

Gallery: AvianPosted July 25, 20062,828 views25 comments

Here's a photo I've always wanted to get, a nightjar agape. I wish this was sharper, but I was lucky to get it all so I won't complain too much.

Canon EOS 5D, 1/125, f7.1, ISO 400, 500.0 mm with 1.4 TC, supported on truck window. Nearly full frame. Taken near Pierre, SD.

Comments

25 comments

Comment posted by Gary Gulash on July 26, 2006 at 12:45 AM

Interesting photo Doug. Is this behaviour common for a bird just sitting on a post, ie. a means of catching insects or "just tired"

I really like the clean bg.

Registered on January 28, 2005, 879 Posts, 12098 Comments

Comment posted by Robert Royse on July 26, 2006 at 12:57 AM

Great shot! Not only is it interesting behavior, but it's a beautiful photo too.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 218 Posts, 2427 Comments

Comment posted by Muhammad Zaid Wani on July 26, 2006 at 2:05 AM

Nice shot, Doug!

Registered on August 18, 2005, 23 Posts, 1406 Comments

Comment posted by Colin Smale on July 26, 2006 at 3:29 AM

Amazing capture, what a mouth.

Registered on November 10, 2003, 48 Posts, 1158 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Garber on July 26, 2006 at 6:09 AM

Do birds belch?

Very Cool Shot!

Registered on November 17, 2003, 704 Posts, 3535 Comments

Comment posted by T. Williams on July 26, 2006 at 6:31 AM

Great shot!

Registered on June 9, 2006, 36 Posts, 326 Comments

Comment posted by richard ettlinger on July 26, 2006 at 8:20 AM

Shot! I like it!

Registered on June 17, 2004, 377 Posts, 1565 Comments

Comment posted by Jill A. Johnson on July 26, 2006 at 8:23 AM

Super Work Doug!!!

Registered on May 24, 2006, 16 Posts, 680 Comments

Comment posted by W. Tracy Parnell on July 26, 2006 at 8:51 AM

Registered on March 4, 2004, 27 Posts, 1638 Comments

Comment posted by KC Choo on July 26, 2006 at 9:39 AM

This is great and most interesting behaviour

I wonder if this is its pre-regurgitating routine?

Registered on November 15, 2004, 519 Posts, 8278 Comments

Comment posted by Neil Losin on July 26, 2006 at 10:32 AM

Hi Doug,

I love this one! What a gape on this guy :) As far as the sharpness goes, it looks really good at this size, at least. Very nice work!

Registered on September 16, 2005, 145 Posts, 3524 Comments

Comment posted by Kevin Thompson on July 26, 2006 at 10:39 AM

Well captured Doug!

Registered on March 15, 2005, 114 Posts, 2639 Comments

Comment posted by Bob Steele on July 26, 2006 at 11:38 AM

Un-freakin'-believable!!!

One of my life goals is to get this same shot with our local Lesser Nighthawks, but in flight. I've got it once so far, but the bird was too small in the frame. Nighthawks are feathered vacuum cleaners, gobbling flying insects on the wing. This behavior only lasts a split second, so I'm sure I'll be at it a while.

Awesome image, Doug. Wish it was mine!

Registered on November 1, 2003, 354 Posts, 13896 Comments

Comment posted by Satie Sharma on July 26, 2006 at 12:14 PM

Awesome capture, Doug!

Registered on November 11, 2003, 189 Posts, 5335 Comments

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on July 26, 2006 at 12:21 PM

Registered on February 1, 2006, 1158 Posts, 19528 Comments

Comment posted by dan elster on July 26, 2006 at 12:54 PM

Way cool!!!!!

Registered on September 23, 2005, 299 Posts, 2443 Comments

Comment posted by Terry Sohl on July 26, 2006 at 6:18 PM

Awesome Doug!!

Wish I could find them around here like this. I was out in the Sandhills for work for a week last week, and saw a number on fence posts (didn't have my camera though). I see them flying around all the time here in the eastern part of the state, but have never seen one perched.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 513 Posts, 6889 Comments

Comment posted by Doug Backlund on July 26, 2006 at 8:46 PM

Thanks for all the comments! It was just pure luck to be there at the right time, I had taken a few shots, when it decided to open up (as Bob said, they do it quick) and then it stretched out its wings and fluffed up. Fortunately, I had the camera on it when it did. Terry, I think the key to finding them on fence posts is to be in area where there are few trees, if there are trees around they will usually roost on the branches and are very difficult to see, even if you can find one it is usually up too high to shoot. The sandhills would be such place.

Registered on September 29, 2005, 252 Posts, 3380 Comments

Comment posted by Duane Rosenkranz on July 26, 2006 at 8:46 PM

Cool shot, Looking at a nighthawk with its mouth closed you would never believe it could open this wide.

Registered on October 13, 2004, 280 Posts, 2661 Comments

Comment posted by Jay Martin on July 26, 2006 at 9:02 PM

Killer!

Registered on December 6, 2005, 200 Posts, 2209 Comments

Comment posted by Dusty Veideman on July 27, 2006 at 12:23 AM

Astounding catch!

Registered on November 1, 2003, 295 Posts, 547 Comments

Comment posted by Dustin Harris on July 27, 2006 at 1:17 AM

This picture was an oman! This is the first photo I've seen of a Common Nighthawk, and coincidentally I saw my first one in the wild later the same day!

Thanks for sharing, and great photo, and to me it's not as soft as you'd make it out to be.
Dustin.

Registered on April 4, 2006, 2 Posts, 50 Comments

Comment posted by Kathleen Shepherd on July 31, 2006 at 8:25 AM

Congrats on EP Doug, as you said you gotta be quick and that you were, wonderful capture.

Registered on April 24, 2006, 66 Posts, 240 Comments

Comment posted by Doug Benner on August 1, 2006 at 6:49 AM

Wonderful pose.

Registered on December 8, 2003, 482 Posts, 1868 Comments

Comment posted by Keith A Anderson on August 1, 2006 at 4:41 PM

Congrats on the MP (EP), Doug. Two in just a few weeks has to feel good. I was out of town and so I didn't see it until looking at the MP's, but this shot is great and the MP is well deserved.

Registered on February 13, 2006, 166 Posts, 1818 Comments