Nighthawks

This evening I was having supper out on the deck, and I noticed many flying insects, which looked like flying ants. They weren't bothering me, and I didn't pay much attention except to note that there were many of them.

After supper I sat back and noticed birds overhead. Usually we get a lot of gulls, but these were not gulls. I noticed the white bars on black wings. It was a flock of about 30 nighthawks. I don't recall seeing them around here before, nor have I ever seen such numbers, and so early in the evening (the sun was still up).

They appeared to be feasting on the very bugs I had noticed earlier.

Seeing the birds reminded me of my childhood, when we could hear (and sometimes see) the nighthawks swooping down, making the unforgettable whooshing noise. These birds weren't making that noise.

The flock drifted off, drifted back, and off again, not to return.