Thursday 1 July 1915, New Romney
In all I have either found or seen seven nests of the Kentish plover. Three contained three eggs each, three contained two eggs and one a single egg (the latter probably ‘dropped’ accidentally). I have also examined two broods, one of three young and one of two. Three is probably the more usual clutch size when laid normally.
At the moment of writing I believe all have now hatched out, with two exceptions. In one case the parents deserted, probably disturbed by sheep, and the other bird is still incubating. This last nest is probably the most northerly of this colony and is situated on a scrap of sandy shingle among the dunes. As a rule this species is not a nest builder – an occasional bent or two may sometimes be found but it is more usual to discover the eggs amongst the naked stones. In this case, however, the eggs were laid on a collection of broken shells and in this respect resembled a common type of nest of the ringed plover.