Killdeer are birds that lay their eggs in very "minimal" nests, right on the ground. This might seem like a poor way of protecting the offspring. However, they have come up with an amazing way of protecting the eggs! The nest is made up of the surrounding materials, in this case pebbles. This makes the nest almost impossible to see. Can you see the 3 eggs in the middle of the 1st photo? No? Well, the 2nd photo is a closeup of the nest - now can you see the eggs? Note that the eggs are spotted and variable in colour - just like the pebbles all around them. Camouflage is the method of protection that Killdeer uses for protection of its potential offspring!
Speaking of camouflage, can you see the insect in this photograph? If you have sharp eyes, you will see a grasshopper in the very centre! It has disruptive colouration, which breaks up the colour on its body so that it is hard to tell where it begins and it ends. Note that the colours are very similar to the rocks and stones in its environment! This disruptive colouration is another form of camouflage! This is a great way to protect itself from predators like snakes and birds!
Speaking of biota, the organisms (plant and animal) that are alive, or once were alive, here are 2 more! The 1st photo shows a Coachwhip snake peeking out of its hole. This is a very thin snake (as thin as the whip used on an old horse and buggy "coach") that maintains an underground hole to keep it out of the sun. The round-tailed Ground Squirrel needs to keep a sharp look around. It is one of the item's in the snake's diet!
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