Nebraska Ornithologists' Union
Date of this Version
9-1997
Citation
Dinsmore, “Mountain Plover Nest in Kimball County,” from Nebraska Bird Review (September 1997) 65(3).
Abstract
On 18 May 1995 I observed two adult Mountain Plovers 5 mi west and 1.25 mi north of Bushnell in southwest Kimball county. The birds were in an area of short-grass prairie interspersed with clumps of prickly pear and bare ground. I observed both birds almost continuously from 1-2 p.m. MDT. The first bird was along the road south of the fenceline, just after the road climbs on top of the plateau. The second bird was about 0.1 mi to the north on the west side of the road. Both birds were medium-sized, plain shorebirds, similar in shape and posture to a Killdeer. The crown, nape, mantle, and upperwings were pale brown. The forehead and lores were white with a narrow black band separating them from the brown crown. The underparts were white with some buffy wash on the flanks. The legs were long and pale-colored. The posture was very upright, unlike other plovers. At approximately 1:45 p.m. I located the nest of the first bird. It contained three eggs and was 15 m east of the road on top of the plateau. The nest was a shallow depression in the ground, lined with small pebbles. As I examined the nest, the bird remained close by, giving several loud, whistled, "whit" notes in an attempt to distract me away. I photographed both the nest and the adult bird, then left to avoid further disturbance.
Comments
Copyright 1997 Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union. Used by permission.