Dropzone Wildlife

[JohnRich 4]

Well, Skydive Houston seems to have its share of wildlife encounters.

Last year we had a bird nest inside the wing of the Otter, complete with baby chicks riding up and down to/from altitude. And Russell has just posted photos of our "Snake in da plane!" encounter.

So I guess I'll chime in with yet another story from last month.

Photo 1: What's this odd contraption of stakes, held up by various items, and wrapped in orange tape? Is there a big pothole or something there in the road to the hanger?

Photo 2: Nope, no pothole. So why the heck is this area roped off? Oh, I see! There is a clutch of well-camoflauged speckled eggs laying in the center of the area. Some bird has made a nest in the middle of the road! For scale, that's a mangled pine cone next to the nest.

Photo 3: And here is a photo of Mom, diligently tending her eggs. I believe the type of bird is a killdeer.

The eggs were here for three weekends in a row, and then they were gone. I never saw any chicks. So I don't know if they hatched successfully and everyone flew off, or if the eggs failed and Mom gave up and moved on.

[jumpinfarmer 0]

Yep, that's a killdeer. I see there nests all the time in the fields in the spring and normally try to go around them when I can. They are pretty good mothers and if she is watching when you move her eggs she will still sit on them unlike many other typs of birds.

[DougH 270]

We used to get killdear by the railroad tracks. Stupid birds! They would run infront of the loco to try to "persuade it away from the nest".

"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall"
=P

[BillyVance 35]

We had a nest just like that at the Pell City dropzone right in the gravel of the overflow parking area some 10 years ago. I remember seeing the bird just sitting there, and saw the eggs later. Same color. Never did remember if they hatched or not...

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[Brains 2]

Quote

The eggs were here for three weekends in a row, and then they were gone. I never saw any chicks. So I don't know if they hatched successfully and everyone flew off, or if the eggs failed and Mom gave up and moved on.

A snake probably got them. Birds nesting on the ground commonly have that problem. That would also explain why that other snake was in the area, if the killdeers are nesting this time of year.

Never look down on someone, unless they are going down on you.