On April 26, I was extremely surprised and excited to hear a Whip-poor-will calling from the field out behind our house (7th Line Smith & Peacock St. area in Selwyn Township …. near the Otonabee River). It was about 8:45 pm when I heard it, and it “sang” it’s classic repeating call for about 5 minutes (stopping for a couple short breaks). It was a lovely mild evening…a couple bats were flying over our backyard, full choruses of spring peepers and chorus frogs were coming from a nearby wetland, a woodcock was peenting and flying around the field, and even some wild turkeys were gobbling from their nearby roost! This was our first time ever hearing a Whip-poor-will in our area.
Whip-poor-will (Karl Egressy)
Whip-poor-will (on ground) and Common Nighthawk flying above – Wikimedia
