Nesting Bird

I have a drainage ditch that runs along the road at the front of my property, but it only has water in it during heavy rain storms. ;)

I found this:
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Killdeer/id

"Look for Killdeer on open ground with low vegetation (or no vegetation at all), including lawns, golf courses, driveways, parking lots, and gravel-covered roofs, as well as pastures, fields, sandbars and mudflats. This species is one of the least water-associated of all shorebirds."

So it was definitely in it's element. :D

I've only seen them (kildeer) near a beach, didn't realize they'd be nesting in someone's front yard. Is there a pond or lake somewhere nearby? Or am I mistaken thinking they're a shore bird. This is fabulous! Thank you!!

Very interesting! Thanks for sharing. :-))

:::squinting:::

raccoon, what a very sweet relationship you have with that little bird. Long grass at the end of the season seems worth it.

I hope you get to see the hatchlings before they go off on their own.

The only down side is the eggs will take about 4 weeks to hatch, so that part of my yard is going to be really long before I can mow it again. :D

Really pretty bird, thanks for the links.
Great driving to have missed that racoon.

I did a quick search for ground nesting birds in Tennessee and found:

https://www.tn.gov/twra/wildlife/birds/killdeer.html

And a closer picture here:

https://www.jigidi.com/created.php?id=dsaznuxp

The wood and hermit thrushes, the northern junco, meadowlark and bobolink all nest on the ground, even in areas where trees and shrubs are available. These species commonly form grass-lined nests.

Do you know the type of bird racoon?
I don't know of many that nest in the grass.
@BirdNana