As I was walking across the cricket field at Paul Rushing Park last week, a Killdeer flew up from almost under my feet. The bird stopped a few yards away and then started to wander around dragging one wing on the ground. This is a favorite strategy of Killdeer when they want to draw intruders away from their nests.
I looked down and, sure enough, there were the bird's eggs.
When I looked back up again, the Killdeer was clearly in a panic, because she had abandoned her wing-dragging routine and had started rolling violently from side to side while spreading her tail and shrieking. It was quite a remarkable display! Not wanting to worry her further, I grabbed a quick photo and then walked on.
When I looked back, she had recovered from her panic and was once again sitting quietly on her eggs.
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