Flushing Meadow Park, 3-27-10

This past Saturday(3-27-10) I visited Flushing Meadow Park to see if the RTH pair were indeed incubating eggs. I arrived around 12pm and within a minute the switch-off occurred (what luck!). So I can finally confirm that eggs have been laid. I'm guessing they were laid much earlier in the week, so they may be 5 or 6 days old already.

Both RTH's in the nest area, only the females tail is visible

After the switch-off female stretches her wings,

then rests atop a flagpole, no doubt anticipating her next meal

Saw 4 of these interesting birds I thought were Piping Plovers

Turns out they are Killdeer. I wasn't so far off, they are in the same family and genus as the Piping Plover.