THE GUARDIAN

The other day I was working a high school baseball game and got to the field a little early like I usually do. While I was putting my gear together I heard the familiar sound of a squealing killdeer, one of my favorite birds on the planet. The reason for all the squealing was found pretty quickly. This one and its mate had a nearby nest and was throwing fits because of all the people around for the game and walking and whatever else they were doing.

These killdeer had plenty of reason to be upset because they were trying to take care of four eggs in their nest. Killdeer don't make their nests in trees but on the bare ground. because of their speckles they're very hard to see. The nest was on some rocks next to the running track and mixed in with rocks so well they were very hard to spot. I didn't want to make her too mad at me so I used a long lens to get all of these pictures, especially with the eggs, this one's mate was flying around us like an F-16 fighter jet and you didn't know if you was going to dive bomb you or what.

After taking the pictures of the eggs I backed away and this one came swooping in to claim its turf around the next. I expect it was also trying to figure out who the long haired guy with the very long snoot for a nose was as well. I really think the killdeer knew I wasn't there to hurt it or the eggs but it really concentrated on me for the next several minutes while I got on my knees and keep shooting pictures. Anytime I move the bird's eyes moved with me. When I backed away a little more it moved in closer to the eggs seeming maybe a little more comfortable with the situation.

I stood up to try to get some pictures looking down and she didn't seem to care too much for that as she spread her tail out showing those bright orange feathers. She really didn't squeal at me but I think she knew I was catching her drift as she kept an eye on me the whole time. When I backed away she pulled the tale in back to normal. Meanwhile its mate continued to fly back and forth, making all kinds of commotion to draw me away from the nest.

I walked slowly to the other side of the nest

and it was at this point when she had finally got tired of me being around and she went into the act that their the most famous for. She took a few steps onto the asphalt and began acting like she had been oversome by some injury, her wings spread out and both side and making a sound like she was in pain. It was one of their most used defense systems. The broken wing act. This was her best way to pull me away from the nest.

It was also what I was hoping to photograph as well and I was hoping she would start her little charade. As I pulled slightly away from the next she took a few more steps then stop and flap her wings on the rubberized asphalt. The sound of herself in pain also continued as she tried ton confuse me and make me feel sorry for her. Anytime I moved toward her she moved a little farther out, hence when she moved then I was moving away from the nest. It was also making her more comfortable that I was leaving her eggs alone.

When she finally thought I was far enough away from her brood she got back up on her feet but kept the act going. Finally I was far enough away and she jumped up and flew back to the four eggs. I had what I wanted in the way of pictures and decided to leave her alone, although with the number of people at the game I'm sure she felt a whole lot better after everything was over and there weren't anymore people around.

Today as I'm typing this is the day after the big storm with the big hail. Most of the areas had at least quarter size hail. I haven't had a chance to see if the eggs survived the storm or not. Not only that but with temps diving down into the mid 20's the next three nights it makes me wonder if they will survive. As we all know Mother Nature can be pretty cruel at times. Hopefully these eggs and little ones will survive.