OMG; I can’t believe I’m putting up yet another “spot the nightjar” post! Blame it not on me, but on Professor Cobb, especially if you fail at spotting the nightjars! (I’m starting to think that Cobb has an obsession with these birds.)
by Matthew Cobb
The good folks at Project Nightjar at Exeter and Cambridge have now released a video showing how well camouflaged these birds are – and you get the answer while watching!
I found it!
!
I missed the first but the others I saw. I like the video better because you get the answers quickly and it highlights the bird afterwards so you don’t feel your sanity slipping away as you accuse various leaves & trees of being night jars….or the face of Jesus while never really finding the Nightjar, even after it’s pointed out to you!
Two dimensions make it much harder.
Is the nightjar something you use if you cannot make it as far as the… ?!
It’s a curious strategy for a bird to camp on the ground. Given all the predators roaming around with good smelling senses, wouldn’t it better to be camouflaged while sitting in a tree? Though I suppose it is oftentimes harder to hide in a tree.
At least I actually saw the birds.
Aaaarghhhh! Even when they zoomed in I couldn’t see them!
Love the video. I’m still waiting for the book, the educational card game, and the Call for Entries for the all-media Spot the Nightjar international online art exhibition.
Each time I looked for the bird on previous posts of still photos I was pretty certain I located every one. After watching this video, I am now absolutely certain I was previously fooled each and every time.
I didn’t see any nightjars, but I’m pretty sure I did spot at least a couple dozen mimic octopudlianae….
b&
It is so much easier to Spot the red-tailed hawk
The Cornell hawks are back for a third season of their reality nest cam. Three eggs in the nest at present.
That was fun! 😀