Mr. & Mrs. Killdeer and Offspring

Pat · April 25, 2010, 05:53:15 PM

Mr. & Mrs. Killdeer and Offspring

For a few weeks (actually the past year and a half or more), Paul and anyone else visiting him have been travelling up the driveway to the house. For awhile during the past few weeks, a Killdeer was noticed flying very close to the cars and when Paul was cutting the lawn, as he approached the lower part of the lawn near the road, they flew at him doing their "Alarm Dance" (as I've called it).

We've been going out at night and coming home in the dark. At those times, we only heard the shrill song of the Killdeer and still we drove up the dark driveway.

Finally the other day as we were leaving for the supermarket, I asked Paul to stop the car so that I could have a look right in the stones and pebbles of the driveway.

And there they were, four little birds lying on the little pebbles but scattered around.

One was so full of life that it scamperred to the side of the driveway to the grassy area.

Obviously, we or whoever else would be driving into the driveway was going to run over these little ones. All the while that I was trying to figure out what to do and not leave any human scent on them, both parents were trying to lure us away from the little ones.

Pat · April 25, 2010, 05:53:29 PM

As we'd follow them, they went further and further from the nest fluttering their wings vibrantly. At times, the parents were right at my feet looking up into my face.

At first I thought maybe the babies were so young that they weren't moving much at all but one was about 3 feet from the main little pebble nest so I put a stone there so we'd know not to drive there and then I'd see another move about a foot right where our tires would have to go to leave the driveway.

Pat · April 25, 2010, 05:53:47 PM

So Paul and I put some flat stones around the babies and the one that scamperred over to the grassy side of the driveway, I lifted carefully with two little sticks so as not to leave human scent on them and I placed this little one with the other three.

We went off to do our shopping and when we returned all were still safely enclosed within the "stone walled fortress" with Mummy and Daddy not too far away and constantly trying to lure us away from them.

Later on, it was comforting to see Mummy sitting on the nest with Daddy close by and all was well and everyone seemed happy in the middle of the driveway and we went to bed as I assumed the Kildeer family did as well.

The next morning all was quiet down in the protection of the driveway fortress.

All had vanished.

Some buzzards were seen flying high up in the sky and now I'm wondering if those babies could fly as well as they could scamper around or did they see a cruel end?

Jeanne Lee · April 25, 2010, 06:34:15 PM

Pat, what a wonderful picture story about the Killdeer family. Maybe Mommy and Daddy just decided there had been too much attention and moved the brood to someplace more secluded.

JudyB · April 25, 2010, 10:29:05 PM

Wow they are beautiful Pat. I am glad you were able to get them off the road/driveway. I hope they avoided the vultures.

JudyB · April 25, 2010, 10:31:49 PM

Pat you got some nice closeups here!

juanital · April 26, 2010, 09:07:55 AM

Ahhh-wonderful story. I could feel your bonding and protectiveness, throughout...I remember once several years ago how we tried to find a kildeer nest by watching their actions, (we just wanted to see). They did a very good job keeping us away for we never found it. I hope they may have found a safer place! TFS...

Pat · April 28, 2010, 07:25:50 PM

Thanks folks!

Judy, I didn't get them from the driveway. I just left them there in the middle and built the little rock fortress structure around them. I only got the one that scampered away over to the grass back with its brothers and sisters.

Yesterday, I think I heard some killdeers in the distance. Hopefully, it was mother and father looking after the young brood in their new home.

JudyB · May 03, 2010, 12:44:52 PM

Yes that would be good if it were. Keep watching!

oneofhis · May 03, 2010, 03:24:31 PM

Really nice. How great to get that close. They are a challenge to shot because of the jerky way they move. Always moving even when they are standing still. Good work.

Pat · May 03, 2010, 05:56:21 PM

Yes, that is so true about their "jerkyness". But they were insistent that I get away from their young!

mybcjazz · May 03, 2010, 06:33:07 PM

Nice find, Pat!

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Mr. & Mrs. Killdeer and Offspring

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