Killdeer Nest Destroyed

The Killdeer nest failed before it really got started.  Three days after I found the nest, we had a thunderstorm that produced heavy rain, strong winds and at the peak of the storm, dropped half inch hail for a full five minutes.  The egg didn’t have a chance.

I was disappointed when I checked the nest the next day.  I was also puzzled to find there was still only one egg.  I felt sure that the nest should have received one or two more eggs in those three days.  Maybe the nest was already a loss before the storm arrived.

I removed the broken egg on the off chance that the nest was still active.  I’ve read that there can sometimes be a significant time lag between eggs, although the chances are slim that this nest will see any more action.  It’s already been six days since the storm and I haven’t heard Killdeers calling at all during that time.  This empty depression will probably remain for the rest of the summer to remind me of the opportunity that was lost.

Killdeer Nest

After 27 years of flying over what I believed to be a perfect nesting site, a pair of Killdeer has begun egg laying at Blue Jay Barrens.  This is the first egg in what I hope will be a successful nesting attempt.

I have always thought this would be an ideal place for a Killdeer’s nest.  The ground is fairly level and rocky and there are a couple of acres that are open enough for newly hatched chicks to easily move around.  I see Killdeer in the area every year, but this is the first time they’ve been on the ground.  I’ve always wondered why they are so willing to nest in driveways or playgrounds or golf course fairways, but wouldn’t nest here.

The female flushed from the nest when I came up the hill.  I kept my eye on the spot she had departed and walked right up to the nest.  I might not have found it if I hadn’t been expecting to see Killdeer eggs.

The nest is just a depression scraped out of the loose stone.  It will be pretty crowded by the time the clutch is complete.

The flat white stone makes it easy to locate the nest position from a distance.  Incubation period for Killdeer eggs is about 25 days, so if the female lays an egg a day and stops at the normal four eggs, I should expect to see young Killdeer on the hill in about four weeks.  Now that I know the nest is there, I’ll avoid that area and give the birds some peace.  I’m hoping for the best.