We have had a “season” of killdeer at our vineyard this spring, and today, we had a “Tiananmen Square” moment.
While Mike was mowing, a courageous killdeer stood its ground directly in front of his mower and forced him to stop the tractor. (This particular type of bird is known for an elaborate distraction dance choreographed to lead predators away from their eggs, often feigning a broken wing.) Directly behind this plover was a nest of four eggs, which the nesting mother saved from destruction. The eggs are well camouflaged, so we were happy to see them. Hard to imagine that the original display of such bravery was June 4th, 1989, just over 28 years ago.
