The life and times of a killdeer nest are brief. This nest is/was in our garden. I was out cleaning up the hoses etc. and killdeer were around. Then the next weekend I was doing something else and they were still around. They were herding me and Andy so I decided to try to find the nest. I had an idea where it was, looked and looked and could not find it. So I backed off, watched the bird spend time in one specific area, made a bee-line for it, and managed to find it--no easy feat. I learned that they sort of scrape an area and then bring decor in after the "nest" is made. I like to think they brought the seeds in.
On Friday, one of the eggs had pipped (started hatching). The bird inside was peeping. Had to leave for Aunt Dorothy's 94th on Saturday. When I returned on Sunday, not a trace of an egg or an eggshell. Teri soon called and told me where the family was hanging out. Not the best pictures (too bright, wrong setting, too tiny, migraine, etc.), but it's something. Our first fledges of the year (assuming it's called fledging when they're born ready to run). Only saw three chicks--there could be four, but I'm pretty sure there were only three.
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| Nest when first identified. |
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| Egg on the left has pipped. |
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| Empty nest. |
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| Parent and chick. |
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