[obol] COMMON POORWILL Mt. Tabor 05/01/08

[Chris Warren]

This morning, shortly before I ran into a gaggle of other birders, I had a
surprising discovery of a COMMON POORWILL near the south entrance to Mt.
Tabor Park in Portland.  The bird initially flushed from the side of the
path and flew up the hill, along the path, and landed in the trail.  This
allowed me a short but decent view of the perched bird before it again flew
up the hill and out of site.  I, nor others, was not able to rediscover the
bird.  As the bird flushed I was able to see the rufous-tinged primaries,
the rather broad wings and wide wingspan as it flew low to the ground with
stiff wingbeats.  While it was briefly perched on the ground I was able to
see the dark auriculars, the overall slaty-gray color, and no primaries
projecting beyond the tail.  The bird also had the ³giant headed² appearance
of a nightjar like Common Poorwill.  It did not vocalize.  I and others have
plans to follow-up on this bird and will alert Obol if the bird continues.
I was shocked to see this bird but, as others pointed out, it is migration
and anything is possible.  This would, apparently, represent a significant
county record and hopefully we will be able to substantiate the record with
better documentation than just my eyes.

Good Birding!

Chris Warren
Portland, OR
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