Through my lens - An Antillean Nighthawk and a Key West Quail Dove

by Rick Lowe

Antillean Nighthawk

Just after we were brushed with Tropical Storm Hanna last week I was walking around the lot at work and found this, what I was informed is an Antillean Nighthawk.

It was obviously in shock, but we all left it alone and it disappeared mid morning.

Click on image to enlarge.

I'm told, it's "not a real hawk – it is part of a family of birds called Goatsuckers. This is a Mosquito vacuum cleaner. They appear at around 5:00 in fairly large numbers and holding their mouths open take in literally hundreds of mosquitos. They are summer residents appearing in the Bahamas around May and leaving us in October. They nest directly on the ground in sandy shale like habitat.

Key West Quail Dove

Then this beauty flew into the back yard.

Click on image to enlarge.

I've been informed it is a Key West Quail Dove.