Pacific Northwest Pictorial

  Last year's nesting Killdeer © Chris LeBoutillier Last year (April,2024), our driveway became the unexpected home of a Killdeer family. These remarkable birds, known for their clever nesting strategies and distinctive calls, chose a patch of gravel near our house to lay their eggs.  Against the odds, their four precious, precocial chicks hatched safely. With coyotes and hawks circling, I placed a protective cage over the nest, a small barrier to shield the vulnerable family.  The chicks not only survived but eventually took flight, leaving us with the joy of having witnessed nature’s resilience firsthand. This year's nesting during a hailstorm March12, 2025 Fast-forward to this year (March 12, 2025) and the Killdeer are back—not just one, but two pairs nesting close to their original spot. It reflects their confidence in this small part of our world.  One pair has built their nest again, containing four speckled eggs. The other pair of Killdeer I have yet to...