Killdeer
This little fella is a Killdeer, a type of plover or shore bird. They make their nests in the darndest places, like in the middle of a field or on a gravel rooftop, but wherever it is, the nest blends well into the background.
I have been watching him/her all week. I had originally assumed he was a she, but just a short while ago, another Killdeer showed up and this one followed her, jumped on top and mated. It happened so fast, I didn’t have time to tell them to get a room! He hopped off and came back to the nest. The males and females look a lot alike and take turns sitting on the nest.
I startled him and he jumped up and scurried away from the nest. There are four eggs and they are gray with black specks, blending in with mud and gravel. I’m eagerly looking forward to seeing the baby chicks hatch and will try to get a photo to share. It takes 24 to 28 days of incubating for the chicks to hatch.
According to www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/killdeer/id, the Killdeer is one of the least water-associated of all shorebirds.
You can hear the Killdeer whistle here: http://www.birdjam.com/birdsong.php?id=18.
