{"id":101068,"date":"2022-03-27T04:36:32","date_gmt":"2022-03-27T10:36:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=101068"},"modified":"2022-03-27T04:36:32","modified_gmt":"2022-03-27T10:36:32","slug":"killdeer-in-spring-at-bear-river-mbr","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/03\/27\/killdeer-in-spring-at-bear-river-mbr\/","title":{"rendered":"Killdeer In Spring At Bear River MBR"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"PreeningPreening adult Killdeer \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/2000, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

While I was at Bear River MBR<\/span><\/a> two days ago I stopped and took a long series of photos of three Killdeer near the entrance to the auto loop. Two of the birds hung around close to each other and the third was chased around each time it tried to approach them.<\/p>\n

This Killdeer spent some time preening the feathers on its upper chest. I liked seeing the upside down head and eye.<\/p>\n

\"SpringSpring Killdeer calling \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/2000, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Each time the third Killdeer moved towards the two that were close to me one or both of those two birds called<\/span><\/a> loudly and behaved aggressively towards the intruder.\u00a0 The presumed pair I photographed may have already selected a nesting area.<\/p>\n

\"AdultAdult Killdeer calling on a spring morning \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1600, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

It was fun to observe the Killdeer through my viewfinder as they moved around the area. I thought I might even be able to photograph them mating<\/span><\/a>. That didn’t happen though.<\/p>\n

\"FluffedFluffed up adult Killdeer \u2013 Nikon D500, f8, 1\/1000, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I took photos of the third Killdeer but since it was kept at a distance by the closer birds I decided not to include any photos of it today. If the presumed pair of Killdeer lay eggs this weekend there could be chicks running around this area of the refuge by the third week of April. Killdeer can have more than one brood per season.<\/p>\n

I enjoyed observing, listening to and photographing the three Killdeer that I found at the refuge. I would have liked to have stayed with theses birds longer but several vehicles came along and the birds moved well away from the road.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/a><\/span> to see more of my Killdeer photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

While I was at Bear River MBR two days ago I stopped and took a long series of photos of three Killdeer near the entrance to the auto loop.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":101051,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[124,27,1148,267,26],"tags":[4004,4935,4072,4144,270,6515,4094,4019,3975,274,165,4095],"class_list":["post-101068","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge","category-avian","category-box-elder-county-utah","category-killdeer","category-utah","tag-adult","tag-call","tag-calling","tag-charadrius-vociferus","tag-killdeer","tag-killdeers","tag-marsh","tag-preening-2","tag-shorebird","tag-shorebirds-2","tag-spring","tag-wetlands"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/killdeer-spring-refuge-mia-mcpherson-5378.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-qi8","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":117589,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/10\/29\/fall-killdeer-at-bear-river-mbr\/","url_meta":{"origin":101068,"position":0},"title":"Fall Killdeer at Bear River MBR","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"October 29, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Since moving to Utah, I have seen and photographed Killdeer in every month of the year. It was no surprise that I found several at Bear River MBR last Monday.","rel":"","context":"In "Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge"","block_context":{"text":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Killdeer walking in shallow water at Bear River MBR, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/killdeer-flats-marsh-mia-mcpherson-5519.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/killdeer-flats-marsh-mia-mcpherson-5519.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/killdeer-flats-marsh-mia-mcpherson-5519.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/killdeer-flats-marsh-mia-mcpherson-5519.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":124694,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/03\/19\/close-up-killdeer-in-soft-morning-light\/","url_meta":{"origin":101068,"position":1},"title":"Close Up Killdeer In Soft Morning Light","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 19, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"The first bird I photographed yesterday morning at Bear River MBR was this Killdeer in soft morning light. Truthfully, I am glad my first bird was a Killdeer.","rel":"","context":"In "Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge"","block_context":{"text":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Killdeer in soft morning light, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/killdeer-adult-early-morning-light-mia-mcpherson-0647.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/killdeer-adult-early-morning-light-mia-mcpherson-0647.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/killdeer-adult-early-morning-light-mia-mcpherson-0647.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, 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2016","format":false,"excerpt":"It is breeding season for Killdeer at Bear River MBR and for all of Utah.","rel":"","context":"In "Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge"","block_context":{"text":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Adult Killdeer in breeding season, Bear River National Wildlife Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/killdeer-adult-mia-mcpherson-2203.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/killdeer-adult-mia-mcpherson-2203.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/killdeer-adult-mia-mcpherson-2203.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, 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2016","format":false,"excerpt":"After they burn the phragmites it doesn't take long for life to go back to normal for some of the birds like this Killdeer in a burned area.","rel":"","context":"In "Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge"","block_context":{"text":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Killdeer in a frosty recently burned area at Bear River National Wildlife Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/killdeer-adult-burn-area-mia-mcpherson-9510.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/killdeer-adult-burn-area-mia-mcpherson-9510.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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