I love when the Killdeer come back every Spring and make a nest in our driveway. You read that right- in our driveway. That's how they make their nests- just push around a few pieces of gravel and you're good to go. I often wonder why those birds are not extinct. What are the chances that the eggs make it the 26 days when they are sitting in the middle of someones driveway (actually off to the side)?
I love the sounds that Killdeer make. They are shorebirds. I can close my eyes and feel like I'm at the ocean- a real treat for this landlocked beach bum.
So, in mid May when I walked out to the mailbox and Mrs. K started doing the "I broke my wing and I'm helpless, come get me" routine, I knew that there was a nest somewhere. Sure enough, on May 13th the first egg was laid. Each day after that for the next four days, there was another egg.
I'd check every day to make sure we still had eggs and when it came close to the due date, and we still had eggs, we got pretty excited around here.
On June 12th the eggs hatched! Killdeer babies are adorable. They look furry. They are precocial birds- meaning that they ripen beforehand. They don't lie in the nest and get waited on. The come into this world with their running shoes on. And that is so true. The day after they hatched out, they left the yard. I wanted so badly to collect them and bring them back. But, I did my job, Mr and Mrs K did their jobs and it was time for the babes to hit the world. After all, they did have their running shoes on. And they looked like Chucks to me.
Until next time.....
