By: Javier Gonzalez – SPI Birding Nature and Alligator Sanctuary
Special to the PARADE
It’s 1:45 a.m. at a neighborhood crossroad close to a point extending into the hypersaline Laguna Madre Bay, in Port Isabel. It’s been one of those extremely long and hot late-spring days, one of those days close to the summer solstice. Things haven’t cooled off too much, even at this hour, but Mr. and Mrs. Killdeer are up and are standing in the dark just a few feet from the light shining down from a street corner streetlight. They are panting and dusty from the long, hot day and from their time sitting on their nest that is inconspicuously located on the ground in a gravelly and barren lot along the bay shore, just about a hundred yards from them.
“It’s almost time, I can feel it,” says thirsty Mr. Killdeer to his mate. “Yes, any minute now!” replies Mrs. Killdeer. Right at 2 a.m., they hear it start to happen. Sprinkler heads rise six feet between each other from the edge of a thick grassy house lawn just across the street. Then magically, water begins to spray out onto the lawn. “Yes! Finally!” scream the Killdeer pair. Soon, water starts to run along the street drains and puddles right at a low spot at the street corner. The Killdeers quickly run out from the darkness, cross the street, and jump right into the puddle of clean, fresh water. These semi-nocturnal birds are the only ones that know exactly the time that the sprinklers go off and get to be the first ones to enjoy the fresh and clean water while most of the other neighborhood birds sleep. They take their time to get a nice, long drink and wash all the dust off themselves. Once cleaned and refreshed, they quickly rush back across the street to the lot where their nest is overjoyed by their bath and their four eggs.
At daybreak, the puddle is attacked by a big flock of Laughing Gulls who take their time bathing and laughing as they chat about their mischievous plans for the day ahead. Soon, the puddle is cleared out again, and a pair of European Starlings visit for a quick in-and-out bath. Then a bright orange and black male Hooded Oriole and its dull-yellow mate come down for a quick dip and drink, and then go right back up into the nearby palm tree crown where their nest is. A pair of shy Mourning Doves then make their slow approach at the puddle and slowly get in as they start to feel safe, but their time is cut short as they are scared off by a car driving past. The spunky Great Kiskadee family soon arrives, and they jump right in with no reservations and wallow in the puddle until a big flock of Great-tailed Grackles show up and take over the scene for the rest of the morning.
Soon, it is unbearably too hot for life, and all the birds are sheltered and taking their mid-afternoon nap under deep shade somewhere. The water in the puddle heats up and starts to thicken like a muddy soup as it evaporates. By sunset, the puddle has diminished by half. Right after nightfall, the nesting Killdeer pair return to the puddle, but this time they do not feel like bathing in the now hot and muddy water, but they do take a long, long drink. “I know it doesn’t taste too good, but drink as much as you can. You know the sprinklers won’t come on for another day!” says Mr. Killdeer to Mrs. Killdeer. So, the two slurp up as much as they can, knowing that the coming day is going to be another scorcher.
Morning comes, and the sun is shining intensely, right away. The air is still, and it’s suffocating out. The Laughing Gulls are again the first ones at the puddle, well, what’s left of it, and take some quick sips before flying out to the bay. The Hooded Oriole pair visit just after and sneak the last few sips and dries the puddle out. There is very little activity at this street corner today as most of the birds seek water elsewhere, but the nesting birds around need to stay close to their nests and have no choice but to rough it out. The nesting Killdeers take turns incubating, but they aren’t just trying to keep the eggs warm; they are trying to keep them from cooking as their nest is totally exposed to the elements! Mr. and Mrs. Killdeer crank the gular fluttering up to the max to try to keep from overheating themselves, but they are on the brink. All they can think about and hope for are the sprinklers turning on tonight at 2 a.m.
Night falls, and the killdeer pair cool off slightly as a breeze picks up. They are thankful that they made it through the day, but they are absolutely sun zapped and extremely thirsty. They try to conserve their energy by not moving so much, only doing so to trade incubating shifts. Finally, at 1:45 a.m. they get that feeling and both walk over to the street corner. “Hang in there, we’ll be drinking and bathing in the sweet fresh water any minute now.” Says Mr. Killdeer. But time passes, and nothing happens; they don’t hear the sprinkler heads rising, nor the water rushing through the plumbing. “Something is wrong. Why isn’t the water coming out? The timing seems right, but something is wrong!” exclaims Mrs. Killdeer. They stand and wait in worry, and nothing; things remain dry and dusty. After a short while, they finally give up as they know they must return to their nest, disappointed. On their walk back, they ask themselves if they will be able to survive the next day. They might have to risk their nest and fly somewhere further out to find something to drink.
Worried and feeling sick, they stay faithful to their nest and hope they can find some water close by in the morning.
Just past daybreak, the rising sun shows a dark cloud floating in off the bay. “RAIN!!!” scream the grateful killdeer with their dry throats as the cloud covers the sky and the rain gently starts to come down. They stay put, covering their nest, and feel life rushing back through their bodies as the rain cleanses and cools them. It doesn’t rain too hard or for too long, as the dark cloud quickly passes through, leaving all the low spots and potholes in the area filled with rainwater. The rest of the day stays mildly cool and pleasant with a bit of an overcast sky and a gentle breeze. It’s a refreshing day, and the neighborhood’s birds’ spirits are lifted, and the toads are croaking.
The sprinklers hadn’t gone off the night before because the house owners turned off the irrigation system for the night, hoping that the rain in the forecast would help them save on their water bill.
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