Species 67: Calling all Killdeer

On the first beautiful weekend of the year, Kim and I got out this morning and drove to the closest beach we could think of, Orchard Beach in Pelham Park in the Bronx. We enjoyed our morning bagels on the boardwalk and watched all the other people who came out to relieve the tedium of being cooped up indoors all winter.

Even the birds seem to be excited at this first sign of spring. Song Sparrows were calling more vociferously than I've heard them in months, and Red-Winged Blackbirds were busy flying around their territories in anticipation of the return of mates. Out on the water signs of winter were still abundant - Buffleheads and Red-Breasted Mergansers still patrolled Long Island Sound and the inlets.

The tide was out, so I walked near the exposed flats in hopes of seeing shorebirds. Almost immediately, Kim and I heard a quick alarm call from a Killdeer, but had a lot of trouble locating it. I brought out my iPod and mini-speaker and dialed up the call for a Killdeer. Within seconds of broadcasting the call, the bird on the flat called back loud and angry-sounding. After that, it was easy to pinpoint from where the call came. We saw the brown-backed bird in the brown mud less than 100 feet away. When it finally calmed down, it went back to slurping worms from the intertidal mud and keeping a wary-looking eye on us. Judging from the quick reaction to the recording, I guess he's got his territory marked out and is as ready for spring as I am.

Not my picture, but you get the idea.

67

Killdeer

Orchard Beach - Twin Island

US-NY

07 March 2010