{"id":129134,"date":"2024-06-02T03:04:36","date_gmt":"2024-06-02T08:04:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=129134"},"modified":"2024-05-28T14:07:04","modified_gmt":"2024-05-28T19:07:04","slug":"common-nighthawk-in-front-of-the-moon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/06\/02\/common-nighthawk-in-front-of-the-moon\/","title":{"rendered":"Common Nighthawk In Front Of The Moon"},"content":{"rendered":"

When I took this Common Nighthawk photo on my last trip up to Tishomingo NWR<\/span><\/a> I lined up the shot to have the moon behind the bird on purpose.<\/p>\n

\"RestingResting Common Nighthawk at first light – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/400, ISO 640, +1.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I knew the moon wouldn’t be in focus, there isn’t an aperture setting on my camera that would allow me to do that. The moon is a long way from where the nighthawk was perched. About 238,000 miles actually.<\/p>\n

But I liked the white semicircular area behind the Common Nighthawk. It was merely a choice of aesthetics for me.<\/p>\n

On the plus side, the nighthawk had its eyes open more than I usually get to see or photograph.<\/p>\n

I drove back to where I photographed this nighthawk about an hour later hoping to have more sunlight on the bird but it had apparently flown off.<\/p>\n

There was a family with young children near the tree I found the nighthawk in, maybe that was just too “peoply” for the bird. I can’t be sure because I wasn’t there to see it lift off.<\/p>\n

Sometimes things can get a bit too “peoply” for me as well and I tend to escape it when I can too; especially rude, screaming, or otherwise inconsiderate people. I much prefer nature to that kind of drama. Always.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe moon with a Common Nighthawk in front of it – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/500, ISO 640, +1.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I wanted to include this photo of the moon with the out of focus Common Nighthawk in front of it. That nighthawk is a terribly out of focus, dark lump when the moon is in focus.<\/p>\n

Now that I’ve found the nighthawks at the refuge on more than one occasion, they can be very easy for me to spot.<\/p>\n

Common Nighthawks are only in my area during the summer and their breeding season. I plan on photographing them every chance I get wherever I find them!<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my Common Nighthawk photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When I took this Common Nighthawk photo on my last trip up to Tishomingo NWR I lined up the shot to have the moon behind the bird on purpose. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":129130,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,5898,13973,15021],"tags":[4004,13985,13984,4897,5900,5899,10421,4204,225,5902,5903,4156,165,4427],"class_list":["post-129134","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-avian","category-common-nighthawks","category-oklahoma","category-tishomingo-national-wildlife-refuge","tag-adult","tag-bottomland-hardwood-forests","tag-bottomlands","tag-branch","tag-chordeiles-minor","tag-common-nighthawk","tag-first","tag-light","tag-moon","tag-nighthawk","tag-nighthawks","tag-resting","tag-spring","tag-tree"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/common-nighthawk-moon-morning-mia-mcpherson-1693.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-xAO","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":128798,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/05\/20\/common-nighthawk-at-tishomingo-nwr\/","url_meta":{"origin":129134,"position":0},"title":"Common Nighthawk At Tishomingo NWR","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"May 20, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Two days ago, I photographed my first Common Nighthawk in Oklahoma at Tishomingo National Wildlife Refuge. I found three nighthawks there in the trees in total.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Resting Common Nighthawk at Tishomingo National Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Common-Nighthawk-tishomingo-NWR-mia-mcpherson-1447.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Common-Nighthawk-tishomingo-NWR-mia-mcpherson-1447.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Common-Nighthawk-tishomingo-NWR-mia-mcpherson-1447.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Common-Nighthawk-tishomingo-NWR-mia-mcpherson-1447.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":47137,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/06\/04\/resting-common-nighthawk-in-northern-utah\/","url_meta":{"origin":129134,"position":1},"title":"Resting Common Nighthawk in Northern Utah – My Best Find of the Day","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 4, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"I photographed my first of the year Common Nighthawk yesterday in northern Utah after I found and pointed it out resting on a red gate about mid-morning.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Common Nighthawk adult, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/common-nighthawk-perched-mia-mcpherson-5838.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/common-nighthawk-perched-mia-mcpherson-5838.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/common-nighthawk-perched-mia-mcpherson-5838.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/common-nighthawk-perched-mia-mcpherson-5838.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":128507,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/05\/13\/common-checkered-skipper-butterfly-at-tishomingo-nwr\/","url_meta":{"origin":129134,"position":2},"title":"Common Checkered-Skipper Butterfly At Tishomingo NWR","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"May 13, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"I'm sharing this Common Checkered-Skipper butterfly photo I took two days ago at Tishomingo National Wildlife Refuge. This was my last subject of the morning.","rel":"","context":"In "Common Checkered-Skippers"","block_context":{"text":"Common Checkered-Skippers","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/wildlife\/common-checkered-skippers\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Common Checkered-Skipper butterfly at Tishomingo NWR, Tishomingo National Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/common-checkered-skipper-upright-prairie-coneflower-mia-mcpherson-9831.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/common-checkered-skipper-upright-prairie-coneflower-mia-mcpherson-9831.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/common-checkered-skipper-upright-prairie-coneflower-mia-mcpherson-9831.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/common-checkered-skipper-upright-prairie-coneflower-mia-mcpherson-9831.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":27518,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2015\/08\/20\/virginia-rails-at-bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/","url_meta":{"origin":129134,"position":3},"title":"Virginia Rails at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"August 20, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Virginia Rails are secretive marsh birds that can be found at the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge during the breeding season and the can be very difficult to see let alone photograph.","rel":"","context":"In "Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge"","block_context":{"text":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Virginia Rail foraging in a marsh at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/virginia-rail-mia-mcpherson-9311.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/virginia-rail-mia-mcpherson-9311.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/virginia-rail-mia-mcpherson-9311.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/virginia-rail-mia-mcpherson-9311.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":44280,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/01\/08\/ruddy-turnstone-aba-bird-of-the-year-2017\/","url_meta":{"origin":129134,"position":4},"title":"Ruddy Turnstone – ABA Bird of the Year 2017","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 8, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"A few days ago the ABA announced the 2017 Bird of the Year as the Ruddy Turnstone and I couldn't be any happier because shorebirds were my \"spark\" birds that propelled me into the world of bird photography.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Ruddy Turnstone side view at Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/ruddy-turnstone-beach-mia-mcpherson-6243.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/ruddy-turnstone-beach-mia-mcpherson-6243.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/ruddy-turnstone-beach-mia-mcpherson-6243.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/ruddy-turnstone-beach-mia-mcpherson-6243.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":129579,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/06\/18\/daybreak-at-tishomingo-national-wildlife-refuge\/","url_meta":{"origin":129134,"position":5},"title":"Daybreak at Tishomingo National Wildlife Refuge","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 18, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Daybreak in nature is always a special time for me, no matter where I am on the planet. It is a time of awakening. Tishomingo NWR is gorgeous at daybreak.","rel":"","context":"In "Johnston County"","block_context":{"text":"Johnston County","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/oklahoma\/johnston-county\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Daybreak at Tishomingo National Wildlife Refuge, Johnston County, Oklahoma","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/tishimingo-nwr-at-daybreak-mia-mcpherson-2978.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/tishimingo-nwr-at-daybreak-mia-mcpherson-2978.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/tishimingo-nwr-at-daybreak-mia-mcpherson-2978.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/tishimingo-nwr-at-daybreak-mia-mcpherson-2978.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/129134","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=129134"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/129134\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/129130"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=129134"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=129134"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=129134"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}