Long-billedCurlew fledgling & parents

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I didn't get the best part of the threat display on video as the bird surprised me. In fact, at the beginning of this clip the female is shown foraging without apparent distress. I had let my small dog out to go to the bathroom and made it stay close to the car thinking the curlews wouldn't even see it let alone feel threatened as they were at least 250 away when I heard the bird above giving it's threat call. I quickly put my dog back in the car so it didn't bother the birds further then put the camcorder on the bird--this is blurry black object in the video clip before I got focussed on the bird. This was the male bird which is often tasked with defending the young. I'm not sure why it does that little hop after after first landing--maybe there was a snake or critter on the ground that startled it or maybe it's part of the display behavior. Note--to see a little larger screen just double click on this video screen and it will take you to the Youtube location for little better viewing. SeEtta

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