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Ron Fredrick | profile | all galleries >> Shorebirds >> Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) >> Killdeer - "Love on the rocks..." tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Killdeer - "Love on the rocks..."

These Killdeer were in a parking lot in at the Palo Alto Baylands in Palo Alto, California. Since this flat rocky area is well suited for nesting sites, the lot is posted and closed off during Killdeer breeding season to keep cars and people out. I noticed these two Killdeer hanging out and acting friendly so, I trained the 100-400mm on them just about the time they decided to swing into action. Firing in burst mode captured the entire very short sequence. After reviewing the images, I was struck by how ruffled the male looked right after they separated and how the female looked fresh as a daisy. As the last shot shows, the female went right to the shallow depression where I assume the eggs will be laid. The male is wandering out of focus, in a couple different ways, in the background.
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