the brain of a bird

Who can tell exactly what goes through a birds mind when its making a decision about nesting. Plovers (or more specifically "masked plovers") in Australia are renown for both strange choices and being oblivious of things around them when it comes to picking nesting sites.

Walking into my work building the other day I noticed that this one seemed to be nesting on the small patch of grass right outside.


Certainly, she's nesting...



Its not a smart location because when viewed from another angle (like from upstairs) she is about here...



Right in front of our building ... I've put a red circle on the bird (who went for a walk off the nest) and the nest site.

While I'm up here I can show you that she has 4 eggs on the go ...



Its interesting to note in this photo just how many cigarette butts there are littering the ground out front ... and to think we teach medical staff ...

As a brief diversion. When I was in Singapore I noticed this on the footpath at traffic lights ... right where people look down ...



and still they smoke ... but I digress. From ground level the eggs are quite well concealed.



but of course the mother makes it pretty obvious.

Its worth mentioning that this is the entry to a University library and (later in the day) gets quite busy. Now, while plovers seem to not care where they put their nests that's not to say they don't take exception to anyone walking close to the nest ... like along the path.

So every time someone walks past the joint she runs off the nest and starts chattering and making noise to drive off the intruder (while attempting to distract them from the location of the nest).


and they can get quite agitated if you don't go away soon too.


its not going to be a restful location to raise her brood ... for anyone