Killdeer *KILL ME*

[SOB]

I have always thought the sounds of killdeer are extremely annoying...

Half my garden has been left as it was last fall - covered in a mixture of leaves, grass clippings, composted manure, etc. It has been awaiting the warm weather crops - pumpkins, summer squash, watermelon (another thanks to Jal_UT), cantelope, etc. It's about a 30'X40' section...pretty big.

But now the area seems much smaller as it's being shared with the Killdeer and a couple eggs. I am getting VERY tired of their screeching and fake-injury-wing-flopping whenever I'm in the garden. OK...the fake injury thing is kinda cool. BUT there is no more relaxing in the garden! It's a constant SCREECH SCREECH (hey look at me) SCREECH! I wanted to "relocated" the eggs but my wife (and my conscience) won't let me. I was working the area today trying to stay away and the one time I forgot I came within an inch (no exaggeration) of stepping on the eggs...

I looked it up...28 days until they hatch...let the count down begin...

[digitS']

I know what you mean. Just try to be patient. And, think of kildeers as being amongst the real feather-brained of the bird world.

They don't mean to be simple. It is just their nature.

A good thing - once those eggs hatch - those babies are outta there! And, they are real cute. They probably won't go far at first so you have to still be patient but, at least, they won't quite be underfoot. (Then, you'll probably start fretting about the babies' survival .)

Steve

[RamonaGS]

We get mud swallows here, and those really are annoying too. They build mud nests on the eves and overhangs of buildings, and once they lay eggs, they dive and peck any living thing that comes near. Your only hope with those buggars is to spray the nests down before they finish building them and lay eggs. It is so amazing how such tiny little birds can ruin your outdoor relaxation!

[SOB]

...they dive and peck any living thing that comes near.

At least the killdeer don't attack. There have been times I looked over my shoulder to make sure they weren't coming after me!

[applestar]

I love killdeer -- at least from farther away
They come around and I guess sometimes nest in the fields along the exercise path.
The way they patter around and the sweeping curve of the fields and the path create illusion like the shore.

One time, I was walking by and one of the birds starting doing something odd -- it took me a while of watching to figure out it was doing the "broken wing" display , which I'd read about often but never seen before.

[RamonaGS]

I never had a problem with mud swallows nesting on my house, but a neighbor dropped the ball and let a couple nest on their property. The whole neighborhood was rerouting around that stupid house, to avoid them. Which was bad because it was only a block away from an elementary school.

[tomf]

This is the first year I have had swallows around the house, i am on patrol as i will not let them nest on my house. every year I have to go after wasp nests as well.

[SOB]

I love having swallows around. We have tons of them. I think they have nests in some of the old barns in our area. Sometime when I mow the lawn they are swooping all around me catching the moths that I kick up. The other day I was working in the garage and 4 swallows came in chasing each other and flew so close that I could feel one brush up against me. Even though it was cool to see them that close I did let out a surprised little scream like a little girl

Back to the Killdeer nesting...it was weird...there had only been 2 eggs in the nest and then all of a sudden yesterday a third one appeared!

[RamonaGS]

I agree that swallows are cute, except when mud swallows are nesting, lol I would probably be very irritated with Killdeer noise in my relaxing area too! I know some birds will lay eggs in other bird's nests, but I don't know if killdeer do that or not. I'd be interesting to find out, lol

[SOB]

I know some birds will lay eggs in other bird's nests, but I don't know if killdeer do that or not. I'd be interesting to find out, lol

Funny you should say that...cuz I went out there today and there is a FOURTH egg now?! It's been a good week since the first two showed up. Another weird thing is I went out to the garden (a good 250' from the house) and the Killdeer was nowhere to be found...

[RamonaGS]

Do you think maybe cats or other predators got them?

[SOB]

He (she?) came back...must have been off wandering around for some reason. I should try and get some pics tonight...make this thread a little better.

[RamonaGS]

That would be cool...share your pain, LOL

[Cola82]

I, for one, would love photos.

I've been lurking.

[SOB]

I, for one, would love photos.

I've been lurking.

That made me chuckle

All I could get tonight was a pic of the nest. The eggs are nice to look at. Typically they nest in a gravel so you can imagine how much the eggs blend in. I still have a hard time finding them even when I know the vicinity in the garden.

I usually only have my iphone in the garden and it doesnt zoom so I cant get a good pic of the killdeer playing injured. I'll try to remember over the long weekend to take the digital camera out there to get a nice pic!

[RamonaGS]

Good grief! I'd probably step on the things by accident! They blend in so well!

[Cola82]

Aw man, that's so neat. Eggs are cool.

[SOB]

Here are a couple pics of the "broken wing" defense. You may need to click on the pic to get a closer look.

[RamonaGS]

LOL! I've seen other birds do that too,

[New Girl]

How cool! I have never seen a bird do a broken-wing dance.

I don't think killdeer live in my area. Mud swallows do, I used to like them but then I had one dive bomb a horse I was riding... Not. Pretty.

[SOB]

Well...we were gone this weekend and came back home yesterday to a quiet garden again! All four eggs have hatched and all the birds moved on. They seem to have taken a liking to my neighbors house because I could see from a distance the tiny babies and the two adults running around in their driveway.

I wish I could have gotten a picture but they are just too far away now!

[Dillbert]

my parents had a (large) rough stone driveway. and every year the killdeer would make a nest "somewhere right in the middle" - the injured bird dance was a daily thing....

they took to parking on the road or right at the road end of the drive until the hatchlings fledged.

I really should have done a video of the broken wind dance - it was amusing and kinda cute - especially when you know it's all a fake.

oh wait, somebody did that
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXhjBKo1ZYA

[RamonaGS]

Ah, I didn't realize Killdeer are a type of plover. We have Snowy Plovers here, but the beach where they nest on is closed during their nesting season, so I have not gotten to see the broken wing dance if they do it too. lol

[Green Mantis]

Apparently when swallows nest under the eaves on your house, it's "GOOD LUCK."

Where we lived at one time had them all around the house, was the luckiest place we ever lived.

Would never ever knock a nest down. I love them.

[RamonaGS]

I couldn't deal with the swallows dive bombing everyone including myself. I wash the nests down because of that little trait of theirs, lol