Ont. mom protects endangered Killdeer nest near busy park

A northern Ontario woman shared this video on social media to warn her community of a Killdeer nest on the ground near a municipal waterpark and playground

A northern Ontario mother has spent over a week guarding an endangered Killdeer’s nest near a busy recreational area in Temiskaming Shores, fearing the eggs could be crushed by passersby.

Nikky Sauve first noticed the bird nesting near the New Liskeard Waterfront Mini-Putt, close to the Temiskaming Shores Rotary Splash Pad and a local park earlier this month.

Killdeer or ‘Charadrius vociferus’ are protected under Canada’s Migratory Birds Convention Act, they lay their eggs on the ground, leaving them vulnerable to predators and human activity. The shorebirds are known for their camouflage and have seen their population decline since the 1970s due to habitat threats.

Sauve has documented her efforts on social media, expressing concern after witnessing people biking, running, and nearly stepping on the nest.

“I’ve been there every day with my three kids just to check on her,” she wrote on May 17.

Sauve shared a video (shown above) with the Facebook group ‘My Temiskaming’ detailing where the nest was located with her post on Saturday, hoping to help people avoid trampling it.

Municipality would not intervene

Despite her requests to the town, she was told she couldn’t install a sign or fence directly at the site.

CTV News have reached out to the City of Temiskaming Shores for comment on the matter – but, those messages have not yet been returned.

Under federal law, disturbing or moving a killdeer’s nest or eggs is illegal without a permit from Environment Canada.

Taking action

By Sunday, Sauve took matters into her own hands, placing pylons around the nest to alert visitors.

“I don’t drive – I take the bus with a double stroller and a third child,” she wrote.

“But I went there every day to check on her.”

Sauve, who says she has formed a bond with the bird, is now waiting for the eggs to hatch.

“I believe sometimes they choose us because they feel like they can trust us more,” she wrote to CTVNorthernOntario.ca in a message Monday.

Once the chicks arrive, she plans to photograph the chicks as a memento before stepping back and letting ‘nature take its course.’