May 10, 2010. Chevy Chase, Md. Kildeer.

The birds are beautiful in their markings and tenacious in defending their eggs, but they certainly are lazy when it comes to building a nest. This weekend these two birds built a nest right in the middle of the gravel driveway in front of the hill house. The nest was on the ground about six inches across and made by pushing the stones up an inch or two around the outside with a few bits of grass covering the bottom. Inside are two or three speckled eggs, about the same size and color of the stones, which means that a person walking or driving could easily crush the whole nest.

Evidently, the birds use the stones to keep the eggs warm so the birds can leave the nest to eat. I just want the birds to build their nest away from the beaten path. Even when I know when the bird is sitting on the nest, I fail to see the nest with my naked eye. It is almost invisible. But I love watching with the binoculars. They are beautiful birds.