Lapwing time!

 Our neighbours have been exploring up the coast and have missed the Lapwing nesting effort.  Which they are not unhappy about, for reasons illustrated below.  The birds have been brooding for quite a time and yesterday I noticed a pipped egg.

However I couldn't spot a chick today.  I experimented with manual focus on my camera: the blurring is due to the link fencing between our deck, where I was sitting, and the nest.

Here is the result using autofocus!  I might submit this to Crap Bird Photography!

Late in the afternoon of 1 August Frances reported seeing at least 2 chicks so I assumed the position up the Western end of our deck.  

This is why our neighbours aren't keen on the Lapwings.  This was heading for me standing on our deck: it veered off before coming under the roof but was doing a full bore swoop.  Pretty pleased with the effort of the camera!

Then it paid off.  Here is an AI focus shot.

This one was taken in P setting with 2x digital zoom.

Even at one day (or less) old this chick was pretty bold.

I did an early morning check on the 2nd and found 2 chicks and one unhatched egg.  I have seen it claimed that all the chicks hatch on the same day but I suspect that there is a few hours leeway in that.  I can't see what has happened to the 4th egg.  

On first looking I thought the second chick might not be well, but I can see a bright eye there, so now conclude it is just not as boisterous as its sibling.

In the late afternoon of the second I found 4 chicks.  One was still keen on the nest 

The 2 boldest had wandered off about 15m away.  This parent had just assaulted a pair of Galahs wandering about on the lwan!

3 chicks are visible here.  The pinwheel was erected in the hope it might dissuade them from nesting.  I think the technical term for that is "Nice try, no cigar." or more briefly "Fail."

By the morning of 3 August the family had moved to the horse paddock.  2 Chicks are visible bottom left of this image with their new playmate taking a rest.

By 1330 on 3 August the family had moved right down the paddock.  This is about 150m from the nest site, which seems an enormous trek for such tiny chicks.

While waiting on the 1st I did get this snap of a Little Wattlebird!