シロチドリ求愛、交尾
昨年も多くの可愛らしいシロチドリのヒナが巣立っていった 造成地で、今年も繁殖が始まりました。昨年は、遠くから確認できるだけで8巣が作られ24羽以上のヒナが誕生しました。ことしも無事に多くのヒナが育つことを願うのですが、ついにボーリング調査が入ってしまったので、この地も間も無くアスファルトとコンクリートで塗り固められてしまうことでしょう。
屋上にシロチドリやコアジサシが営巣できる環境をつくるなどして、東京都下水道局森ヶ崎水再生センターの様に彼らの住処が確保できるといいのですが…。
4月3日追記
翌日、同じ場所へ行くと工事が本格化してシロチドリは一羽も見えなくなっていました。近くを探すとレンタカーの駐車場の端っこで途方にくれたシロチドリが数羽いました。ことしのここでの営巣はかなり厳しい感じです。
I thought two Kentish Plovers were chasing each other around, but then the male started displaying — holding out one wing toward the female. Courtship, no doubt.
The male (right) displays to the female by showing his wings and raising his tail feathers.
The female lowered her posture. A sign that mating is imminent.
The male flew onto the female's back. Copulation.
Bird copulation is usually brief, but this pair mated for about a minute and a half.
A male (left) and female Kentish Plover immediately after mating.
Kentish Plovers and Little Terns used to breed here, and around this time last year Little Whimbrel and Greater Sand Plover also turned up. Greater Sand Plover, Lesser Sand Plover, and Pacific Golden Plover were among the other species using the area as a stopover on migration — but development now appears to be getting under way.
A few Kentish Plovers had taken refuge in a rental-car parking lot.
As construction intensified and heavy machinery, vehicles, and people multiplied, the Kentish Plovers disappeared.