Here is an article on NightHawking
Nighthawks and nighthawking: damage to archaeological sites
English Heritage summaries. 2006/07
EH Project Number: 4886MAIN
Funded Unit: Oxford Archaeology
English Heritage, Cadw, Historic Scotland, National Museum, National Museum of Wales and Portable Antiquities Scheme are funding Oxford Archaeology, with support and help in kind from Archaeology Guernsey, Jersey Heritage Trust, Manx National Heritage, National Museums Scotland and Northern Ireland Environment and Heritage Service, to undertake a project entitled Nighthawks and Nighthawking: Damage to Archaeological Sites in the United Kingdom and Crown Dependencies caused by illegal searching and removal of antiquities. As the title suggests, unusually, the project covers not just England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland but also all the Crown Dependencies: the Isle of Man, the Bailiwick of Jersey and the Bailiwick of Guernsey. The Bailiwick of Guernsey principally comprises the Islands of Guernsey, Alderney and Sark. The project will run for 18 months: 12 months for data gathering and 6 months for collation and reporting.
The aims of this project are to produce targeted baseline data on the extent of damage to the archaeological heritage caused by illegal searching for, and removal of antiquities - a practise known as ‘Nighthawking’, and to foster a climate of opinion within all sectors that the illegal search, removal and sale of antiquities is unacceptable.
The project is not therefore concerned with the activities of the majority of metal detectors who follow good practice and do not break the law. It is solely concerned with those who break the law in the form of ‘nighthawking’.
The damage to archaeological sites caused by illegal searching and removal of antiquities is perceived as a major problem not only by archaeologists but also others interested in the UK’s cultural heritage. However, robust data quantifying the extent of the problem has neither been systematically and/or comprehensively collated and studied in recent times; although the CBA’s Metal Detecting and Archaeology in England (C Dobinson and S Denison, 1995 – funded by English Heritage), did consider ‘Illicit detecting and site damage’ ‘Metal detecting on scheduled ancient monuments’ and ‘Contraventions at Corbridge’. Given the limited data, it has been difficult to persuade the Government and the law enforcement authorities that this matter should have a higher priority than is current the case.
There is a substantial body of anecdotal (often unsubstantiated) information on the damage to sites caused by the unauthorised searching and removal of antiquities. Also, significant numbers of illicit antiquities are being traded on eBay and elsewhere. However, monitoring of this activity and collating intelligence that might be used by the law enforcement authorities is piecemeal and often under-resourced. These are the issues that this project seeks to address.
Data on these issues will be collected through a questionnaire which can be filled out on-line on a specially developed web portal or on requested paper copies, where this is a preferred option. Key organisations/ individuals will be contacted directly for information and it is hoped that both the general public and law-abiding metal detectorists will also provide information once they are aware of the project. Where necessary and acceptable information supplied will be followed by an interview.
The questionnaire/web portal will not only collect data on evidence of nighthawking but will also collect data on the sale of illicitly recovered archaeological material online and elsewhere, and prosecutions and convictions of ‘heritage crime’ . These issues will also be addressed through research.
and the urban dictionary has 2 definitions
1. nighthawking
The act of two men meeting up, having a vicious fight - then giving each other one up the plopper.
Jack was covered in bruises and walking like John Wayne... He'd been nighthawking again.
2. nighthawking
The act of shooting someone from a far distance without anyone noticing.
I was nighthawking in Counter-Strike when someone walked up be hind me ans shived me in the skull.
or closed to metal detecting?
