Plovers

SPURWINGED PLOVERS

I have watched a flock of plovers, Vanellus novaehollandiae,  for several weeks now. They live around a small fenced dam next to the Kilmore Cricket club. On warm days, the birds move to the open area around cricket ground. Here they sit and enjoy the sun.

They are very, very wary. It is difficult to get near to them. I have tried many times, sneaking behind trees and bushes to get a little closer. There is always at least one bird standing slightly apart from the group. I can hide from the flock but every time, the sentry bird picks me out and lets out a loud karrek, karrek, karrek as it lifts from the ground. The others follow.

They do not move far, but when they do, they are even more wary and fifty metres is about as close I can get.

They are quite beautiful birds with strong black, white and brown plumage. But it is the brilliant yellow wattles which stand out, giving their faces a somewhat odd look.



Many of us have experienced the whoosh of wings, a strike from the spurred elbow and the 'karrek, karrek, karrek', when we have come too close to their eggs laid in an open nest.

I remember one year having to enter a holiday house from the rear, leaving our car out on the street, because a pair of plovers had nested in the middle of the bare gravel driveway.