Saturday 26 June 2010

Lapwings

We went for a drive out today and I had a bit of a dilemma! We spotted a Lapwing flying over the road and pulled up to watch. As we pulled up we could hear another calling quite noisily. It was in the field to the side of us.

I spotted on the grass verge right by the road a small chick, which kept trying to run into the grass but couldn't seem to get through. We watched a while and it didn't seem to be making any progress, the adult was still in the field just over the hedge. I was in two minds what to do, the chick was so close to the road, if it ran the wrong way... I know it's best not to interfere. In the end though I couldn't just drive off.

It crouched in the hiding position as I got close but I scooped it up quickly and let it run off my hand into the open entrance to the field where the adult was. It immediately got close as I left them to it. I felt much happier having done this and think it really would have struggled to get around that hedge.

7 comments:

  1. Good on ya Pam. Sometimes you just have to intervene.

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  2. Oh well done Pam! I'm sure you did the right thing, good for you :) Beautiful photos too, the baby is so sweet.

    I honestly thought I had commented on your fledgling Blue Tits post, I know I definitely read it because when I was in the garden on Friday afternoon and it was suddenly full of fledgling Blue Tits your words immediately came to mind 'almost like an aerial display team, swooping in from all sides' A very apt description! You got some great photos of yours, I struggled to get any.

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  3. Good work Pam, I'd have done the same

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  4. Thank you, I was really in two minds but glad I made the choice to help out in the end!

    SSb, they don't stay still for long do they? Only when they are waiting to be fed, then they still flap there wings! (By the way, are you filling in the word verification when you post the comments, sometimes I forget to do that, post the comment & close the window then realise I didn't do it!! Maybe thats just me though!)

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  5. Lovely photos, Pam. And of one of my favourite birds (which, unfortunately, we don't get to see in Texas). Surprisingly, the young Lapwing looks very like the young Killdeer we have here. The adults couldn't be more different, though.

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  6. Often a difficult choice Pam but I feel you took the right one. FAB.

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  7. Thanks for the comments, Jeff I checked out the Kildeer and they do look similar.
    Pam

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