Nightjar, he’s just resting.
Posted on 01/11/2026 5:51:57 AM PST by Twotone
An elusive bird which is now considered to be extremely rare in Northern Ireland made an unexpected visit to a Belfast street, where it was found behind a bin.
Office staff who spotted it on the Lisburn Road thought it might be a bird of prey and called wildlife rescuer Debbie Nelson, who works under the name Debbie Doolittle.
She was surprised to find it was in fact a nightjar - a bird she described as "almost extinct" in Northern Ireland, with only a handful of sightings since the 1950s.
"They were about to put some rubbish in the bin and they saw the bird behind it," she told BBC News NI.
Doolittle explained nocturnal birds can sometimes become disorientated by street lights and collide with tall buildings, so it may have bumped into something.
She brought it back to the rescue centre she runs near her home in Antrim so the bird could rest until she felt it was fit and well enough to set free the next day.
"It's very rewarding getting to release something back into the wild and knowing you've given it that second chance," she said.
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...
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A bird? I’m expecting a wicked kewl viking sword or something. A bird? Braking news.
The American cousin is the Whippoorwill bird.
Nightjar, he’s just resting.
A good story. Thanks for posting.
It’s good he’s not pining for fjords.
I thought a “nightjar” might be another name for a medieval chamber pot.
What is happening in Iran?
Holds that last swallow of moonshine before bed.
Pretty Bird Ping!
First thought was that a ‘nightjar’ might have been some ancient chamber pot that someone tossed in the trash bin, LOL!
Must be male. He did not stop to ask for directions.
LOL! GMTA. Post #10.
You stunned him.
Is the “Emerald Isle” overrun by feral house-cats too?
a.k.a. Goatsucker
That was exactly my reaction. If it isn’t, it ought to be.
Nightjar: Not just another bump on a log.
“Bring out yer BUGS!!!”
In America we call them Whip or wills
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