I've gotten so used to this now I don't even blink when I see her up there. We also decided to leave the nest intact after the last batch because as precarious as it looks, it's actually very secure, and there have been no baby dove casualties. It's also in a spot that is well-protected from the local predators (probably why the doves keep coming back, too):
I don't think this is the same dove, however. Here's a closeup of this new Mama:
Now here's a closeup of the Mama dove from the three previous nests:
The new Mama has a lighter throat and different markings, and the pink on her beak is more pronounced, so either she's gotten a lot of sun lately, or she might be a female from one of the previous clutches. What do you guys think?
I think she's one of the earlier babies, come back to the comfort and security of home.
ReplyDeleteYour place is the stuff of dove-dreams, Lynn!
That's what I'm thinking, Raine. Sometimes when we walk out of the garage now a half-dozen of these doves fly off the eaves -- and I always wonder, which pair were you?
DeleteI agree with Raine, but I wonder what happened to her mother!
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen her around lately, but she might be at our neighbor's farm - lots of doves nesting over there, according to the owners. :)
DeleteBeautiful birds! She could be a mother returned. Sometimes they're feathers get lighter with time or it could be a hatchling remembering the comforts of home returned. (Hugs)Indigo
ReplyDeleteThanks, Indigo -- I didn't know that about the feathers. :)
DeleteMaybe she is one of the babies. Or maybe doves change a bit as they age? They just all know they've got a good thing going and have no intention of leaving you :)
ReplyDeleteMy robins are back. One day, they weren't there, the next, they'd built a huge nest on top of the same drainpipe for the gutters. I swear the nest went up so fast, they must have gotten it from a pre-fab nest place!
Theo, I'm beginning to think the doves are telling each other about the precarious nest, lol.
DeleteSome birds are really fast builders. We left the garage door open to air out the attic above it last spring, and found a little wren had decided the seat of one of the kid's bikes would make a great nest (she'd nearly covered it completely in just two hours.)
She's darling! I'm guessing she's a daughter from last year.
ReplyDeleteI'm begging birds to come live in my yard. Grasshoppers have overtaken the place. Here, pretty grackle, come stay with me! Lots of bugs to eat! :-)
We have a moderate problem with grasshoppers, too, Deb, at least until the beginning of summer, when most of the cranes and herons start occupying the yard daily. They seem to find them pretty tasty. :)
DeleteAfter a really close look, the new mom seems younger than the bottom photo mom, but hey, what do I know? I have a flock of mourning doves that live in my back garden and I can't tell one female from another.
ReplyDeleteI never thought I'd be starting a photo album of nesting doves, Terlee, but I'm kind of fascinated now. :)
DeleteI'm with Raine and Lydia. I think she's Busy Mama's daughter.
ReplyDeleteDeb we have too many grackles. I wish I could mail a few to you!
Deb and I will send you some grasshoppers in trade. :)
DeleteWhoever she is, she's absolutely adorable!
ReplyDelete