Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Cleansing Mourning Dove Nest?

Okay, we need some cleansing after the Alaska post. There is an arbor in Mr. Neil's yard, it leads to his writing gazebo. A few weeks ago, Non Birding Bill told me that a bird flew away when he walked by it and it looked like a nest had been started. I checked a week later and saw what looked like a half finished nest. I wondered if the bird started the nest and then changed it's mind. Then Mr. Neil called two days later to report he saw a mourning dove on it--that made total sense, they build rather haphazard nests, it's amazing that any of the chicks survive at all. That's why it looked half finished.

When Kimberly Butler visited, she got the above photo of one of the adults on the nest. The birds will stay on the nest when you walk under it through the arbor, but if you stop or try to hold a camera, they bolt. Kim was lucky to get this photo, but hey if she can make celebrities comfy and at ease for a photo shoot, why not a mourning dove?

I was out the other day and found a position far from the arbor and the young are old enough to sit up high to where you can see them in a patch in the grape vines:

Thanks to the scope you can see the two chicks and part of the head and eye of the adult morning dove. All three stayed very still while I digiscoped them from a safe distance. It'll be interesting to see how much longer they will stay in there. The grapes will be ripe soon and once that happens, that will no longer be a secluded spot. Catbirds, robins and orioles will be in and out of there gorging on the fruit...and a few humans too.

8 Comments:

Blogger Shellmo said...

Gosh - after 4 set of mourning dove babies in my yard this year I thought I would be tired of seeing them but I enjoyed your post very much and remembered that they are cute!

7/22/2008 3:28 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

No worries about the grapes! Most varieties ripen no earlier than late August, and more like mid-September, and the birds don't start feasting on them until they're really sweet...late September. I'm sure those babies will have flown by then. Maybe they're squatting for first dibs?

7/22/2008 7:14 PM  
Blogger MarkN said...

Any bands on either of the adult doves?

7/22/2008 7:46 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I notice the bills/beaks (what is the difference?) on the chicks look a bit warped or twisty. Is it my imagination, or is this how they start out?

Dea

7/22/2008 8:12 PM  
Blogger Aleta said...

These are so sweet. Wonderful photos.

I always find your images so... touching.

7/22/2008 10:05 PM  
Anonymous Crystal said...

That's so disturbing. I had no idea catbirds, robins and orioles gorged on humans. *shudder*

7/23/2008 11:40 PM  
Blogger birdchick said...

MarkN

It's hard to see a band on a tiny leg under a fat body--haven't seen one yet.

Dea

Remember as a kid when you first got your adult teeth and they were way too big for your face? These young guys just haven't grown into their bill yet.

crystal

LOL! Good catch.

7/24/2008 8:48 AM  
Blogger Mary Hughes Studio said...

Beautiful photos!! Your photos always are. We have dozens of mourning doves and they're just the sweetest things.

7/26/2008 2:55 PM  

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