My apologies to doves, everywhere. Yes, it was me who has been mocking your nest building ability. Yes, it was me who placed rocks on the outdoor speakers, crazy Target-$1.00-bin balls in the hanging basket and who shooed you out of the patio rafters. We've been quite the adversaries, haven't we? Yes, I have bought dove-proof bird feeders but only because you and your friends eat every bit, never sharing. I know, I know. You need to eat too but I think you are all doing quite well, just waiting for seed to drop.
You were just stringing me along last spring, weren’t you? You were making me believe that your nest building was ridiculous. I spotted you starting to build a nest on the outdoor fan over the table. I quickly turned the fan on to discourage it. There was no way your few sticks were going to stay on that fan. Yes, it was me who watched as the sticks dropped to the table that you would go collect more rather than pick up the ones that had dropped on the table, right beneath you. Yes, I kept the fan on so you would find another place.
You were just showing off when you built the nest in the seed spreader, weren’t you? I was under the impression that you were a bird of little brain and couldn’t believe you could make a nest with a few twigs, lay two eggs and raise your babies there. You did.
You won my respect with that one but I still wasn’t impressed with your nest building abilities. Well, I now know you are an expert. You found the perfect place for both of us. Safe for you and your babies. Away from places where I eat my dinner. And just to make sure I realized how good you are, you built at eye level. Look at this nest in the middle of a cholla! My camera and I are watching every move, from a respectful distance and with a telephoto lens.
(Do you see that one of the eggs is out of the nest?)
(That's because one of the babies is born!)
I bow to your expertise. You win but please, if I promise to quit mocking your nest building ability, will you stick to the trees and the cactus rather than the patio? Thank you.
8 comments:
They are resourceful aren't they! Fantastic pictures!
I too have been guilty of mocking those daffy doves. But they just don't give up do they? Well, thank goodness for that! Love your little story and the beautiful pictures.
Barbara~ What a wonderful capture! I always cringe when I see them fly up to our gutters, thinking they're going to nest there :)
so so true, I have been one to say more than once, they just aren't the smartest birds in the nest. I not only have the doves on my patio fan but also the cactus wrens that seem to love it. Good thing they finally made their nest in a good place this time.
Great post, I loved your commentary of the doves' nests. I don't have a dove problem, I have a crow problem.
Wow! Great Photos and I enjoyed your story. Very cool photo of the table that seems to melt into the garden too. Thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving your nice comment.
Randee
I too have a dove's nest in my tree! She has been sitting there for quite a while now. I'm so excited for her eggs to hatch and to have little baby birdies in my yard. Such a sign of spring!
I really enjoyed these pictures.
Those baby humming birds look like they don't have room to move.
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