Killdeer's

Very nice though I don't know how Mom felt about you being so close. I wish the one chick had turned it's head a little. Was the mom sitting one one of them? Nice family image with good environment.

Greg Downing wrote:Very nice though I don't know how Mom felt about you being so close. I wish the one chick had turned it's head a little. Was the mom sitting one one of them? Nice family image with good environment.

Actually the Mother was upset with a car pulling right past where she decided to brood her young. She nested in the center of a small parking lot that was only 40 ft wide and the nest was found when she flushed from me pulling in to check my woodduck boxes, after 20 minutes of looking I finally found the nest and staked it out so cars visiting the WMA wouldn't run over the eggs. On this particular day I checked my boxes and returned to my truck only to find her in the parking lot with her chicks, I loaded my gear, got my beanbag out, and started shooting. Just before the sun went behind a hill another visitor showed up and parked about 10 ft from her, she ran toward me and stopped about 15 ft away and began brooding again. It's one of those times where there's not much you can do, stay put, and let them do what they do!

Oh ya.....There were actually four chicks all together, she was brooding 2.

I know what you mean about these guys nesting in some pretty dangerous places. They really seem to love gravel roads and parking lots!

In reality we have messed up their habitat with over development and coastal destruction, now they have to find what little space is suitable for them to breed, It is amazing they can successfully rear their young at all!!

Well done family portrait.

Excellent capture; lucky there were four; if there was only 1 she would have moved to avoid any disturbances. I saw a mother and chick a few years ago; the chicks are all legs with a ball of fluff on top

Nice one -- I like the story behind the image. I hope the four chicks made it to adult hood.

AlexC wrote:In reality we have messed up their habitat with over development and coastal destruction, now they have to find what little space is suitable for them to breed, It is amazing they can successfully rear their young at all!!

So true and so sad.

Super cute family shot. My thanks to you for staking off the nest area so these birds might have a better chance.

Heather Forcier wrote:Super cute family shot. My thanks to you for staking off the nest area so these birds might have a better chance.

My precise sentiments. A tremendous Thank You !!!

Great shot. Love the low angle and the yound bird in the frame. the Mother calling puts it over the top.

Great family shot

This is a sweet shot. Well done.