Mr and Mrs P. Lover want me dead
LEGENDARY author Alfred Hitchcock’s book The Birds has nothing on the nightmare that is the Australian plover.
In an earlier Ramblings I spoke of an encounter with a redback spider that nipped my hand.
Now another Aussie animal is trying to kill me and that’s the plover.
Last year plovers laid four dark green speckled eggs on our property.
Let’s call them Mr and Mrs P. Lover.
What followed was months of guarding, swooping and cackling war cries that when decoded are, ‘I’m going to kill you human, get off my lawn’.
But it isn’t their lawn, it’s ours.
Last week we noticed four eggs on the front lawn, Mrs P. Lover was sitting on them and her hubby strutting about in protection mode.
We like nature, enjoy birdlife and we don’t want to ruin the chance for Mr and Mrs P. Lover to bring new life into the world.
We will put a stick next to the place Mrs Lover is sitting so her eggs don’t get squished when my husband mows the lawn.
Plovers have been known to charge at tractors and other big machinery, wings spread out and loudly cawing.
There is something beautiful in the way they protect their eggs and each other.
But not us, we’re on their hit list.
I can be many metres away and one of them will spot me and bellow a warning.
Walk a bit closer and both parents come running at me, wings spread wide and cawing loudly.
Closer still and I’m being dive-bombed.
I read that they are trying to scare you and won’t actually connect with you.
Australia’s wildlife amazes me, plovers particularly.
Their attack and warn methods are similar to the behaviour of elephants and bears.
Stand your ground, which is what I did in order to take the photograph that goes with this week’s column.
Not going to lie, it was a bit scary but I got the job done regardless.
The couple will protect their eggs for the next 28 days.
When they hatch little fluff balls will emerge and the fun really starts.
Last year was the first time I’d seen the process up close.
Three little chicks hopping about until a human comes too close, then they duck down low and keep still to blend in with groundcover.
I’ve watched Mr and Mrs P. Lover frantically herding their chicks as they scatter in different directions.
The parental concern and squawking for chicks to ‘come back here now’ hits a chord.
We have a month now of plover life and despite the noise and commotion every time we walk out front, seeing this little family grow is worth it.
