KILLDEER IN MIGRATION

Killdeer, Mississippi Valley, Green Island, Iowa

A couple days ago I spent the evening in the Green Island Wetlands, hoping for some good light and maybe spotting some migrating shorebirds. I’m not very good at counting large numbers of birds but I estimated about 200 Killdeer on one of the mudflats that have been under water for quite some time during the flooding we had in July. Food was obviously there in abundance. The birds were too far away and the camera stayed in my lap while watching them.

Later, an hour before sunset, I moved to a big puddle on the westside where I had good luck with sandpipers earlier this season. First I had only three Killdeer feeding in the shallow water or in the mud, but at the end, shortly before sunset, I was able to choose from about two dozen birds which one to get in the viewfinder. The Killdeer is one of the earliest birds that arrive after the winter and they are building their nests in shallow ground depressions in gravelly areas, like parking lots or in fields. It’s hard to tell which bird is a juvenile, they all have nearly the same size. The Killdeer is a common bird here during the summer but I have never seen so many at the same time. I’m glad I didn’t miss them during their migration to the South this year.

NATURE CLICKS #487 - KILLDEER

Killdeer, Green Island Preserve, Iowa

It looks like they are always motionless but the Killdeer can actually run pretty fast as soon they spot something to eat, like an earthworm or insect. It is one of the first bird species that returns after the winter and before you see them, you just know they are there because of the loud cry they can emit, “kill-dee” or “kill-deeeah-dee-dee”.

I have reported about Killdeer many times here in my blog before and if you use the search window you can compare older notes about this large plover. Last Sunday I watched a pair  feeding on earthworms that came out of the ground after the rain.

KILLDEER FLEDLINGS

Killdeer fledgling out for walk

I always worry when I go to the Green Island Wetlands and see a Killdeer, a larger plover, running around in one of the gravel covered parking lots. The parking lots are empty for most part of the year and only during the duck hunting season you may see a number of pick-up trucks with boat trailers there. But visitors use them to turn or look around. And that’s where the danger for the Killdeer starts. They lay their eggs in a shallow depression in gravelly areas or grass and the parking lots are obviously a preferred habitat for breeding. The incubation time is between 24 and 28 days and that’s a long time when bad things can happen and the brood is at risk.

Back under the wings

Killdeer are masters in luring an intruder away from the nest. I have seen this Killdeer and its partner running around and had an idea where the nest would be. I avoided the area and just watched with my binoculars or through the long lens from the distance during the last weeks. Yesterday evening I spotted a fledgling for the first time and a little later a second one. One of the adults was still on the nest while the other one foraged nearby. The adult bird on the nest called the young ones but they had their own mind and took their time to go back under the wings. The second photo tells the last part of that story pretty good.

We all hate rules, but there is one I like to bring to mind. When birds are active with nesting you have to remember, no photo is worth sacrificing the welfare of the animal! Keep your distance and don’t keep the parents away from the nest for a long time.