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Above: A Common Nighthawk in Rockwood Beach, Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (5/26/2008). My friend Tom Feild and I were having a drink in my yard after a great day of kayaking and birding, and we were discussing how strange it is that people almost never report finding roosting nighthawks in Maryland. Literally within minutes, this Common Nighthawk flew across the yard and landed in one of my oak trees. We couldn't believe it. Below: As we watched and I clicked away excitedly, a Common Grackle made it known that the nighthawk wasn't welcome on this particular branch, so the nighthawk flew across the yard and chose another perch.
Below: It's so rare we get to see these creatures close or sitting still. Here's a zoomed image to show more details. The buffy throat and fairly buffy-colored belly make this bird a female. The placement of the white bar in the primaries is far enough up the wing that we can feel confident ruling out Lesser Nighthawk.
Below: A Common Nighthawk hunts over the serpentine barrens at Soldier's Delight NEA, Baltimore Co., Maryland (5/23/2008). The strong white throat coloration means this bird is a male. He was also doing the cool booming call while performing courtship displays to a female.
Below: It's a more common sight to find them roosting during the day out west. Photographed north of Wells, Nevada (6/21/2005).
Below: A roosting Common Nighthawk in southern Idaho (6/21/2005).