Finding Birds in All the Wrong Places
Costco Killdeer Colony
By Sarah IG: wasthatasquirrel
Shopping at Costco in Citrus Heights, CA, may never be the same. On a recent shopping trip I was commenting to my hubby on how uncharacteristic the unsightly entry is: hard pack, rutted mud and dried scrub - more common to the inland deserts and my old hometown of Phoenix, AZ. In the midst of my less than scintillating travelogue, I caught a flash of familiar markings ... "Stop the car!!!" (A familiar hysterical and oft unreasonable cry the hubby is accustomed to ... ) Necessitating a u-turn and ignoring wilting groceries in the trunk, yielded a most exciting and surprising encounter with a small community of nesting Killdeer!
Some stood their ground, boldly guarding their nests, while others demonstrated the most fascinating behavior of faking a broken wing to draw me away from the nest - actually willing to sacrifice themselves for the next generation!
Killdeer are unusual among Plover - being found far from the ocean or bodies of water. They are often seen on golf courses or other large expanses of lush landscape, but I had not heard of them being associated with such a dry, arid habitat.
Their large, soulful eyes somehow tug at my heart - I would love a yard full of these beautiful birds! As you can imagine, this discovery has changed the way I shop at Costco - every trip must include a visit to the Costco Killdeer Colony!
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