Click on individual pictures to enlarge.
June 1, 2019
A fourth Killdeer nest has been discovered. Busy season this year!
May 29, 2019
Afternoon nest sitting. Can you spot the Killdeer on its nest in the right hand picture? These pictures were taken from up on 23rd Avenue, well above the nest. Best not to look for this nest by walking on the beach, because the bird leaves the nest when a person is more than 100 feet distant.
May 26, 2019
Yet another Killdeer nest is discovered. Busy birds. This nest is inland from the shoreline, below the cliffs.
May 23, 2019
We've a second family of Killdeer to report, discovered at noon, shortly after the first of four hatchlings made their appearance. This was quite a feat, since the nest was exposed to a rain storm as well as to predators. Those Killdeer can be tenacious!
This is the second successful nest established in the protected nesting area this season. We'll need to do extra outreach to the public over the Memorial Day weekend, to assure that the fledglings have an opportunity to feed and rest with as little disturbance as possible.
This is the second successful nest established in the protected nesting area this season. We'll need to do extra outreach to the public over the Memorial Day weekend, to assure that the fledglings have an opportunity to feed and rest with as little disturbance as possible.
May 17 - 19, 2019
The chicks are now 20 days old. They began the day in front of the apartments. They were inadvertently flushed out of there by a guest in the apartments who walked on the edge of the lagoon from 21st Avenue around to the beach, the chicks keeping in front of him. There were a lot of people on the beach, some with children and some with dogs. The killdeer family spent the whole afternoon running around trying to avoid all intruders, including running out onto the middle of the beach. The chicks eventually arrived near the bridge. When the beach became safer they worked their way back around in front of the apartments.
The regular violators of the leash law showed up individually, rather than in a pack. One well known (MM) was strolling along the beach, hurling a ball for her off-leash dog in front of her. Another (KD) had her two unleashed dogs; at least she was co-operative when I directed her and her dogs away from the Killdeer chicks. Another (R) was out there with a new dog.
The regular violators of the leash law showed up individually, rather than in a pack. One well known (MM) was strolling along the beach, hurling a ball for her off-leash dog in front of her. Another (KD) had her two unleashed dogs; at least she was co-operative when I directed her and her dogs away from the Killdeer chicks. Another (R) was out there with a new dog.
May 15, 2019
Under watchful eye of its parent, a Killdeer chick and ducklings forage together.
May 11, 2019
"The nesting habitat corral, installed by a volunteer (see April 26 pictures) has provided some protection this year. There is a second nest with eggs now. Unfortunately, some people just don't get it. This evening I saw a dog owner inside the protective corral retrieving his small unleashed dog. The Killdeer left the nest, chased off by the dog. Fortunately, when I used my camera to zoom in, I found that the eggs were still intact.
"This evening I went out to the front of the apartments to determine how the killdeer family had fared with all the beach activity. I couldn't find them in that location. I eventually found them on the edge of the outflow directly east of the apartments. The adult had moved them. In some ways this is a better location for them because the edge of the sand is a small cliff which enables the chicks to hide from view and feed at the same time.
"No birds are really ever safe on this beach, due to dog owners ignoring the leash law. They use the lagoon outflow and the shoreline to feed and rest. There is a dog owner who fishes frequently along the shoreline and he allows his three off-leash dogs to roam freely.
"This evening I went out to the front of the apartments to determine how the killdeer family had fared with all the beach activity. I couldn't find them in that location. I eventually found them on the edge of the outflow directly east of the apartments. The adult had moved them. In some ways this is a better location for them because the edge of the sand is a small cliff which enables the chicks to hide from view and feed at the same time.
"No birds are really ever safe on this beach, due to dog owners ignoring the leash law. They use the lagoon outflow and the shoreline to feed and rest. There is a dog owner who fishes frequently along the shoreline and he allows his three off-leash dogs to roam freely.
May 7, 2019
Killdeer chicks on their 8th day of life.
May 4, 2019
Early morning in the life of Charadrius vociferus at the beach - feeding, resting, growing.
May 3, 2019
Breakfast time! These guys are very aware of their surroundings and are tuned into the presence of dogs. These two pics are separated in time by 1/6 of a second. Note the chick's reaction when it spots a dog.
Four days old and able to bathe itself.
Photo taken at 4:05 pm. Looks like another family in the making.
May 2, 2019
Get ready for some seriously delightful pictures of the newly born Killdeer, becoming adjusted to their environment (Corcoran Lagoon Beach, Santa Cruz County, Monterey Bay, California).
April 30, 2019
Evidence of a second nest was discovered about 11:20 am. Two adult Killdeer were showing territorial dispute behavior, farther south on the beach from the original nest discovered just three days ago. While the dispute ensued the other nest was left unattended. The Killdeer took occasional breaks from their dispute to deal with a crow.
Upon inspection, four one day old Killdeer chicks were discovered.
For now, all's well. Let's welcome the wee birds to their sandy and watery world. May they thrive!
Sleepy baby!
April 29, 2019
A second family of ducks graces Corcoran Lagoon Beach. This time its ten ducklings.
A PG&E truck plus four cars (east and west bound) stopped to allow this family to cross East Cliff from the inner lagoon to the beach/outflow area occupied by Killdeer and their fluff ball chicks. It's a birdy beach.
In the outflow they were met by the females' mate. Then the entire group made their way along the edge of the lagoon towards the bridge. When they encountered logs they climbed over them instead of swimming around them. At one point the ducklings were at the feet of a Great egret who was looking down at them. The female duck put an end to that by letting the Egret know who is boss. The Egret took a few steps back.
The ducks then went under the bridge to the inner lagoon where the female was attacked by two male ducks. She went under water for some considerable time while her mate fought off the attackers. The ducklings hid in the vegetation and eventually their mother surfaced and rejoined them. This entire episode lasted eighteen minutes. Mother ducks don't have it easy!
A PG&E truck plus four cars (east and west bound) stopped to allow this family to cross East Cliff from the inner lagoon to the beach/outflow area occupied by Killdeer and their fluff ball chicks. It's a birdy beach.
In the outflow they were met by the females' mate. Then the entire group made their way along the edge of the lagoon towards the bridge. When they encountered logs they climbed over them instead of swimming around them. At one point the ducklings were at the feet of a Great egret who was looking down at them. The female duck put an end to that by letting the Egret know who is boss. The Egret took a few steps back.
The ducks then went under the bridge to the inner lagoon where the female was attacked by two male ducks. She went under water for some considerable time while her mate fought off the attackers. The ducklings hid in the vegetation and eventually their mother surfaced and rejoined them. This entire episode lasted eighteen minutes. Mother ducks don't have it easy!
April 28, 2019
The first nest observed on the beach. These photos were taken at 4:57 today.
It's been a busy beach/lagoon interface this week! Baby duckling time is upon us. These photos were taken about 11:30 this morning at the northern most are of the beach next to the lagoon outflow. Attentive mother duck and eight ducklings. Unfortunately, these were later chased across the outflow by an unleashed dachshund.
April 27, 2019
Mama Killdeer on her nest this afternoon.
April 26, 2019, 11 am
The first 2019 killdeer nest on the beach. Someone has erected "Birds Nesting - No Dogs" signs, with bamboo shafts marking the nesting area.