The little guys in the top pic have been hanging out in my backyard for the past couple of days. They’re a pair of juvenile mourning doves. The picture was taken this morning as I was getting ready to leave for work. I was hopping on my bike when I spotted them sitting on top of some branches I never finished cutting into firewood after a very windy day last year.
I’ve been looking for them since they first showed up Saturday. They don’t do much. Every now and then they'll stretch out their wings and waddle around, but usually they just sit there not knowing what to do with themselves. Sunday I was working in the yard, installing some brick edging around a newly designated garden area. One of them just sat there for a couple of hours watching me. Eventually I had to find something else to do as it was sitting on some of the bricks I was hoping to install. Not sure where the other one was at the time.
The mom, as you can see in the lower pic, was watching me from atop the neighbor's garage. Sometimes she'll call when we get near, that "whooo whooo" that sounds like a depressed owl. Usually she steers clear. For that I've been a little nervous for them. Our neighbor’s cat has been known to take out small critters. I’m guessing they’re not supposed to be on the ground this much. I read that mourning doves make rough nests out of twigs that tend to fall apart after storms. I figure one of the real windy days last week must have done their nest in. They can fly. One of the little guys was on top of the garage with their mom yesterday. Earlier that day the mom was doing a good job chasing off the blackbirds, so hopefully they’ll be fine.
Our feeder has been pretty popular so far this year. I am looking forward to having more mourning doves around. They take me back to when I was young, sleeping in on saturdays, trying to figure out why the owls were still out.
I’ve been looking for them since they first showed up Saturday. They don’t do much. Every now and then they'll stretch out their wings and waddle around, but usually they just sit there not knowing what to do with themselves. Sunday I was working in the yard, installing some brick edging around a newly designated garden area. One of them just sat there for a couple of hours watching me. Eventually I had to find something else to do as it was sitting on some of the bricks I was hoping to install. Not sure where the other one was at the time.
The mom, as you can see in the lower pic, was watching me from atop the neighbor's garage. Sometimes she'll call when we get near, that "whooo whooo" that sounds like a depressed owl. Usually she steers clear. For that I've been a little nervous for them. Our neighbor’s cat has been known to take out small critters. I’m guessing they’re not supposed to be on the ground this much. I read that mourning doves make rough nests out of twigs that tend to fall apart after storms. I figure one of the real windy days last week must have done their nest in. They can fly. One of the little guys was on top of the garage with their mom yesterday. Earlier that day the mom was doing a good job chasing off the blackbirds, so hopefully they’ll be fine.
Our feeder has been pretty popular so far this year. I am looking forward to having more mourning doves around. They take me back to when I was young, sleeping in on saturdays, trying to figure out why the owls were still out.
6 comments:
Sounds like these birds have too much time on their hands. They need to get jobs.
Yesterday morning we had one of those birds walking on our side walk in front of our house. I pointed it out to Lauren and we both mistakened it for a pigeon. So I shot it.
"Eventually I had to find something else to do as it was sitting on some of the bricks I was hoping to install." Best excuse not to do work, ever.
you caught me Jason, I have a long track record of using this sort of excuse. For instance, not getting up to do the dishes becaue one of the cats was sitting on my lap, thus leaving me helpless to do anything other than continue watching TV.
"I pointed it out to Lauren and we both mistakened it for a pigeon. So I shot it." Best comment ever!
In one of my former apartments, Mourning Doves made a nest on the window sill outside my bedroom. I mistakened their "whoo-ing" for Charlie downstairs shacking up with someone. Actually, I'm still not sure it wasn't Charlie.
Ahh charlie - the memories. Did you ever clean that rug?
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