In the Operations Department, we often are looking for beds to weed, grass to mow and litter to pick up. At the same time, we get to see wild flowers bursting in bloom, turkeys roosting in trees, or – in a recent case – eggs that were surprisingly well-hidden in the middle of a gravel patch. Do you see the three killdeer eggs in the middle of the photo below?

Killdeers are well known for their diversionary displays when protecting a nest, and they will often imitate a broken wing, faking a limp to lure predators away from the nest before flying away.

You never really know where your work will take you each day. On Monday, a group of us met to plan the progression of work at the Simmonds Family Dog Park. However, the star of the day turned out to be a small bird that was dragging its “injured” wing across the gravel. Our planning group was uplifted by that little bird and its dedication to protecting its nest, and the experience made us want to work just as hard on caring for our Great Parks.

Jim Westendorf, West District Superintendent