Crawdads and Killdeer Eggs

It’s no secret that I like to be outside. Whether I’m mowing the yard, in my stand, or just setting on the porch enjoying a glass of sweet ice tea, I find all these to bring a joy and peace that is surpassed by little. There is something so energizing and relaxing about being out there and connecting with nature. I try to enjoy each of these opportunities, no matter what the occasion.
–

I love walking around our property and taking in all the sites. I enjoy taking it all in. Walking across just a couple of acres brings so many adventures. We frequently find gopher hills, ant houses, crawdad houses, and killdeer eggs. There are birds flying, spiders crawling, and insects of all kinds. Frogs are usually hiding wherever there is water and the crickets are commonly chirping.
–

My son can stand amazed for hours at the crawdads houses. He likes to try and catch one coming out to take a look around. I’m not sure if he has ever seen one coming out of its house, but it sure keeps him entertained while he waits.
We have an abundance of birds in our yard; black birds, scissor tails, and killdeer just to name a few. The Killdeer is a medium-sized plover. –

The adults have a brown back and wings, a white belly, and a white breast with two black bands. The rump is tawny orange. The face and cap are brown with a white forehead.
–

Killdeer are ground-nesting birds that are famous for hiding their nests right out in the open. They really use no nesting materials and rely on distraction displays to protect their offspring. I frequently find their eggs just laying in the grass out in the yard. There are no signs of a nest and they are very exposed. Mother killdeer use a “broken-wing’ act to lure predators away from their nest. This is their only form of protection.
–

My son and I frequently mow the lawn together. He enjoys riding on the mower with me and thinks he is “big enough” to drive and do it all by himself. This is a fun time for both of us. Unfortunately, there are so many of the crawdad houses in our yard, it almost impossible to not hit them while mowing. The same rings true for the killdeer eggs. I typically do not see them before it is too late.
–

Last week, I ran across a “nest” of 4 eggs. I didn’t notice it until I was on my second pass around and noticed the cracked open egg. The eggs were laid in the open grass in my front yard with no signs that they were there. I felt awful. However, I was able to save two of the eggs and moved them a few feet over so that I would not hit them on the next pass. I moved them under a tree that was nearby, in hopes that momma would find them easily.
–

Regrettably, I usually end of being more of a threat to the crawdads and killdeer eggs than most of their regular predators such as the raccoon, coyote, and opossum. What animals do you frequently find in your yard?