there was a bird in the back corner of our yard that is actually in the neighbors yard and it just sat there for over a week. It laid 2 eggs in the gravel and it was just sitting there protecting. It’s been fun to watch it and get close but not too close. The bird will run away if you get too close. We were told that running is one of its tactics to keep the eggs safe – it will try and get you to follow it on the ground and away from the nest, then after it lures you away it will come back. It also ruffles its feathers and tries to look big when you walk by. The eggs just hatched and we got to see the baby birds for a day before they all took off to safer places away from so many curious kids.