Presumably, the majority of the time was spent digging the nest and covering it back up.
Unlike prior years, I just let her roam, and let her think she was all alone. I was watching through the window with binoculars, so I could see where she set up camp (otherwise, I would not even have a clue as to where to start checking to see if she actually laid eggs). Once she set up camp i just let her be, and checked in every now and then.
Last year she spent about the same amount of time: two hours digging the nest, 20 minutes popping out eggs (covering each with a little dirt as she went along), and then she spent another hour or so covering them up, packing dirt around each one one, and making the ground all nice as if she was never there.
Lot of worK!
