CARLETTA'S CAPTURES

With amateur photography skills and maybe a little of pure serendipity I just Take Aim and Shoot. Hope you enjoy the results.

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Friday, May 14, 2010

Stay Away From My Nest Lady



Read first comment for more on the photos.
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33 comments:

Carletta said...

This is a Killdeer. Their name comes from their frequently heard call. These birds will frequently use a distraction display ("broken-wing act") to distract predators from their nests. This involves the bird walking away from its nesting area holding its wing in a position that simulates an injury and then flapping around on the ground emitting a distress call. Killdeer nest on open ground, often on gravel. They may use a slight depression in the gravel to hold the eggs, but they do not line it at all, or line it only with a few stones. Since there is no structure to stand out from its surroundings, a killdeer nest blends marvelously into the background. Furthermore, the speckled eggs themselves look like stones.
This one is nesting in my neighbor’s driveway.

Charlene Amsden said...

What an unusual bird - -and how cool that you got such marvelous photos!

Unknown said...

i've seen the eggs here, but i've never seen the bird--we call it "pugo".:p

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

Fabulous pictures, Carletta.

Feeling very birdy, because I knew that bird before your comment. In our Oregon RV Park, there are little string fenced-off areas here and there where the manager is trying to protect the kildeer nests. We see the birds often there, even out in vacant lots. I love how they try to lead you away from their nests.

Thank you for sharing these!

DeniseinVA said...

So good to be visiting again Carletta. Your Kildeer shots are amazing. I didn't know much about their nesting activities before, thank you.

Tom said...

Excellent pictures one and all... Well done for spotting the eggs... I've tried many time to find the nest and eggs of Plovers.... more often than not I failed..

Willard said...

A beautiful series, Carletta. I have gotten good close-ups of the bird, but not of the nest.

Anonymous said...

It is just beautiful and it's so cool how different species do different things for their protection of their young and themselves. I've never seen one of these. Love it :)

Janie said...

Great photos! We have kildeer nesting in the pasture occasionally. It's always fun to see them acting injured to protect the nest. Their parenting instincts are amazing.

Pietro Brosio said...

Wonderful shots, Carletta! That red eye is so interesting.
Happy Sunday :-)

kayerj said...

wonderful picture!

Nikki - Notes of Life said...

I don't think I'd want to mess with that bird!

Great shots :)

EG CameraGirl said...

OK, Carletta - What's your secret? I have never, NEVER gotten that close to a killdeer. Nice photos!

KaHolly said...

Great captures. Too bad the bird was so upset though. ~ks

Rose said...

Carletta, these are wonderful captures!

Neal said...

They act kind of crazy when you get close to their nest. Seems like they always build close to a gravel road.

Anonymous said...

I was thinking it was a killdeer & that broken wing act is quite convincing, too! I've seen it!

Anonymous said...

Wow - fabulous shots of a pretty bird and her eggs.

Dianne said...

I love how the tail feathers are fanned out

i beati said...

jaunty aren't they - love your flowers to.I googled Wva wildflowers - was yearning for them- don't remember where. sorry I identify so with long wildflower walks ammong the hills.sk

George said...

These are wonderful pictures of both the bird and the nest. Thanks for the information about the way killdeer nest -- I didn't know that.

JunieRose2005 said...

What an interesting bird and pretty,too! You got some great shots of it and the eggs!


Junie

Anonymous said...

Well, I tried to leave a comment but got tossed out. Let's try again. The coloring on the killdeer (and the eggs) is beautiful. Love the first shot.

Daniela said...

Great shot, i love the first one :)

Leedra said...

I love to see and hear the Killdeer. I think they have the most unique call around. They nest either in our backyard or the neighbors every year.

This past weekend there was a Killdeer in the middle of the KY Sheep and Fiber Festival. It was hard for it know which person to lead away from the nest with so many people walking all around it.

Coy Hill said...

You really captured the killdeers agressive post well in the first shot. Its amazing how agressive these little birds can appear and then in a moment switch to the injured bird behavior.

Hannah said...

Beautiful pictures, Carletta! The second shot is my favorite. Those eggs are do look like rocks, and they are beautiful.

My Macro Post: Hardware

Unknown said...

Oh yay! I love the crazy killdeer! I really wanna see their little yellow cottonball babies, but have yet to. I see the babies once they look like tiny adults, and I've never seen their eggs! Very cooL!

Kerri Farley said...

Very cool! Great captures!

This Is My Blog - fishing guy said...

Carletta: Neat capture of the Killdeer, great colors on this bird.

Judy said...

Such great shots of the kildeer! Mostly, I hear them rather than seeing them! Years ago, when my kids were small, we saw one with babies! She did the broken wing act then, too!

Raven said...

Awesome photos. Gorgeous bird. Cool eggs.

Misty DawnS said...

The Killdeer always run around yelling at me when I'm on my walks. I've never been able to find any eggs though. These are outstanding captures.

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