Bird Parents and a Killdeer Ball of Fluff

I was headed out of my office tonight to go home.  As I was locking the door, a Northern Mockingbird flew toward me, squawked and landed on the step railing near me.  I said, "What?  Do you have a youngster out here somewhere?" (Yes, I do talk to birds.)

I looked around without moving and discovered a pristine juvenile sitting on the sidewalk, two feet away.  

Killdeer chick above.

The white edging of the juvenile's plumage was brilliant against pale gray feathers and when she looked up at me, her yellow gape was SO yellow.  I wondered if she had just fledged.  I stood without moving and coaxed, "You need to fly."   A few beats later, she flew to the holly with parent close behind.

Bird parents.  They are loyal, hard working, vigilant.

And that brings me to killdeer. Along with mockingbirds, this is a bird I have known and loved since childhood.  I first became acquainted with them in farm pastures, their loud cries on the wing unmistakable.  My latest encounter was last week in the grocery parking lot.  But it was not until my June visit to Brevard County, FL, on my way to the Pelican Island Overlook at Sebastian Inlet, that I actually witnessed the famous broken wing display.  Immediately, I was on the alert for young.  

And what we found (I was with Marge Bell and Jim Angy of Brevard County) was this little fluff ball, busily foraging on long legs.  If you enlarge the image below, you can see the webs on the chick's feet.  Though killdeer, a plover species, are found in many dry open places frequented by people, such as ball parks, gravel roads, abandoned fields and parking lots, they are also wetland birds.  And both the adults and juveniles are proficient swimmers.

But our visit with the juvenile was cut short by an unhappy parent who let out an ear-piercing alarm call.

She got our attention and the attention of the juvenile who immediately adopted a crouched, motionless posture and blended with the dead debris on the ground.

Nature at her best.

To see my previous posts on the Space Coast, Brevard County, FL click here

For more Brevard County Links visit:
Space Coast Beach Buzz
Jim Angy Photography
Space Coast Wildflowers

Linked to Bird Photography Weekly #99 at Birdfreak.com to promote the conservation of our world's birds.

And don't miss your chance to win a free copy of the 8th Edition of Simpson and Day's Field Guide to the Birds of Australia. Visit my book review and leave your comment before midnight (EDT) July 31st.  The Winner will be announced August 1st and receive their free copy directly from Penguin Australia.  Good luck!