Little Ringed Plover nest

I have shown some pictures and a video of a Little Ringed Plover nest. This nest was at Fornebu where a lot of praiseworthy wetland restoration work has been carried out (the term rewilding has been used to describe it including I think by me but I think that devalues that term and restoration is far more accurate). Ponds and scrapes have been dug but it is not here that the plovers have nested but rather than on one of the piles of mud that have been dumped on the edge of the reserve following the excavation of the scrapes. Following the young hatching though they have moved to one of the scrapes.

Both parents shared in the incubation of the eggs and would alarm call when anyone walked too close to the nest. As the nest was less than 10 metres from an occasionally used path then this happened fairly often and the adults would also leave the nest. Too close approach would result in lots more calling, the arrival of the other adult and distraction displays. Once the four young hatched they stayed close to the nest for the first couple of days and would be frequently brooded by the female especially if there was a perceived danger (me). Distraction displays especially by the male increased in intensity and were interesting to observe. There were also clearly different calls from the adults (mostly from the female?) to the young which would tell them to freeze and lie on the ground, to come to her or to give the all clear that they could feed freely again.

The parents seemed to be good at their job (better than the Lapwings in Maridalen) and there were still all four young a week after hatching by which time they had moved to one of the scrapes. They were only being guarded by one adult by then with the other adult not even arriving when the guarded adult called due to my presence. The adult would get agitated and call to the young and sometimes sit on them but no longer engaged in distraction displays. On 10^th June they were being guarded by mum but on 12^th by dad.

A visit on the 16th revealed only a single feeding adult. Hopefully the young and the other adult have moved to a safe area that I couldn't find rather than a predator having taken the young.

Footnote: 2 nearly fully grown young were seen and photograped on 2 July so the parents did a good job.

4 June - day eggs hatched

a less than day old youngster and mum

the nest with two young and an egg and the third young away from the nest. I saw no egg shells by the nest and do not know if the parents removed them a safe distance from the nest or perhaps ate them

all three young back at the nest with the still unhatched egg

5 June - 1 day old

a one day old Little Ringed Plover (dverglo)

June 6 - 2 days old

June 10 - 6 days old

here the female was guarding the young and still brooded them when there was danger

June 12 - 8 days old

almost recognisable. The legs look fully grown already

the male was guarding them

all five birds