Marty’s photo of the day #5097: For the second day in a row, Nellie gets credit for my photo of the day. Until her new bionic leg heals, she is restricted to leash walks, and it was during a leash walk yesterday through the Essen Wildlife Refuge that we spotted this nighthawk. The nighthawk immediately flew away from us, staying low to the ground. When the bird took off a second time, I thought it flew to the opposite side of the refuge. I started walking that way when Nellie froze—unfooled by the nighthawk, which had only traveled a short distance before landing on a low branch. This time it stayed perched long enough for a series of photos. I have some beautiful portraits to share later, but I think I like this action shot of the bird taking off better than the stills.