DovesThe Morning Doves have taken up residence right next to the Carriage Lamp very near my front door. This was a popular apartment for the doves for a number of years and then, something or someone I should say...(Blue Jays, perhaps?) scared them away...and no doves came back for a number if years. Well, I'm happy to say that one Morning Dove couple has decided to brave this place, once again.
Morning Doves do make the messiest nests I've ever seen. But...and this is the important part, they do make them, and then have faith that their nests will be okay. Hidden. Safe. Sturdy. Years ago I put a piece of cardboard right there so that it wouldn't be so difficult for them to build in that crack between the wall and the side of the lamp. This piece of cardboard used to be upright and even. It isn't any more.
But, that hasn't stopped these dear Doves. They built their nest there anyway. And it is a very sturdy looking nest I must say. And this place...is actually a very protected place...a 'safe haven' if you will...and I pray the dreaded Blue Jays do not come and scare these sweet dear birds away. I pray the little eggs hatch and that the little birdlings thrive and then fly away as is the way of birds.
I'll keep you up to date on all of this you can be sure, my dears.
And look what I saw this afternoon (5/9). Not this morning, (it looked very different this morning) but...this afternoon. This morning this had not happened yet. Nature's miracle, right here in the photograph below. One flower is just opening up. By tomorrow, (well...today, May 10th), there will be a lot more to see. But, for now, here is what was happening today...this very afternoon.
And on the other side of George? This one in the above photograph, is just about to burst forth, too! This is thrilling, folks. Absolutely thrilling. Look at the perfection of design on that fuzzy side there...I mean...this is fantastic! Glory Be To God, indeed!Oh yes, More To Come....
- had this to say:
THe birds nest looks so precariously placed, yet as you say they must feel safe. Do you name all of your flowers or just George? Michele sent me this morning.
- Wednesday, May 10, 2006 at 3:17:00 AM PDT
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I never knew this could be so blooming exciting :o) But, I know, I get pretty excited about my flowers too. Just wish the rabbits would stay away from them!
- Wednesday, May 10, 2006 at 4:56:00 AM PDT
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When i lived on Coldwater Canyon in Sherman Oaks there was "under the building parking".. along the wide pipes there I had the cutest dove nest ..she had twins!.. they'd "freeze" their position any time I went to get my car and I'd try to do it quickly so they wouldn't be scared lol..
Way to go George!! He's gunna be beautiful soon!- Wednesday, May 10, 2006 at 5:54:00 AM PDT
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We have mourning doves too and yes, their nests are not the works of architecture that others have but they are lovely creatures. I have finally seen some cardinals. You'd think they would be thick as they are the Virginia state bird but it is the robin that seems to be here year round.
The anticipation of flowers blooming is as much fun as the actual event. I have to laugh at the concept of "George blooming" though, we've always known the girls who were "late bloomers" but not very many guys given that phrase. The "late blooming" boys were just known as "immature for their age." LOL.- Wednesday, May 10, 2006 at 7:43:00 AM PDT
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Oh, I love doves. We have lots of them here. This looks like a pretty good spot to nest to me, a safe, protected place!
Love that George is opening up and blooming!! I finally bought a cacti myself and it had the prettiest bloom but it only lasted one night and I missed getting the picture! I was so mad at myself. I'm hoping it'll bloom again and I'll get a picture if it does.
Thanks for keeping us up to date with the pictures Naomi!!- Wednesday, May 10, 2006 at 8:09:00 AM PDT
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Lovely the couple of doves and so nice you had put a piece of cardboard to help them to built the nest! I am looking forward to the photo of the babies.
Beautiful that George is blooming!
Gorgeous pictures, Naomi!
Well done!- Wednesday, May 10, 2006 at 9:38:00 AM PDT
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Cactus flowers bloom so slowly, but the wait is worth it! Hope your birds are happy there :) We had a sweet little hummingbird build her nest on the light fixture in our carport one year and we could look through our kitchen window and see her and then the babies and it was so much fun to watch them be fed and then to take off on their own. :)
- Wednesday, May 10, 2006 at 9:41:00 AM PDT
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Good to see George looking great! and the doves too, my dear!
- Wednesday, May 10, 2006 at 12:20:00 PM PDT
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I love seeing the birds nesting! my mom has wild yellow canaries coming in and nesting this year! she has a variety of others too, but no doves.
beautiful bloomage, too. i look forward to seeing it in full bloom.
sorry i havent been by in a while, but im very glad to be back.- Wednesday, May 10, 2006 at 3:06:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
im so pleased to be back visiting again! i have missed you.
my mom has a lot of birds nesting this year, including some new wild bright yellow canaries! no doves though, so its a fun treat for us to see yours.- Wednesday, May 10, 2006 at 3:33:00 PM PDT
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We had a Morning Dove build a nest in one of our hanging baskets last Spring. It's nest was right where the rain would fall in a sheet if we had a downpour, and so my husband moved the basekt to a safer place. A couple of hours later and the eggs were gone...We weren't sure what happened, but if we kept them where they were the mother would have drowned.
- Wednesday, May 10, 2006 at 5:31:00 PM PDT
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how beautiful! Mourning doves are monogamous. Furthermore, some of these pairs stay on as couples thru the winter. After finding a mate, the male initates the nest selection site. Nest construction takes over ten hours and covers a span of three to four days. The female generally lay two small, white eggs in an open nest. Incubation lasts 14 tgo 15 days. Both the male and the female share incubating and the feeding of the babies.
- Wednesday, May 10, 2006 at 6:08:00 PM PDT
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i hope the little guys make it. Some crows attacked a pigeon nest on my balcony last year and cracked open the eggs.
- Wednesday, May 10, 2006 at 8:24:00 PM PDT
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A hint to your question:
http://tinyurl.com/g2ouz- Wednesday, May 10, 2006 at 8:44:00 PM PDT
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Hurray for George! Keep us in photos of the flowering!
- Wednesday, May 10, 2006 at 9:33:00 PM PDT
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A very kind thing of you to do for the doves. I'm glad there are people like you.
Oh look! there's another one coming out.- Wednesday, May 10, 2006 at 10:10:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
Awww, I love the doves! George is coool too. I love coming to your blog and seeing all the great pictures you take. Great eye!
- Thursday, May 11, 2006 at 5:56:00 AM PDT
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The doves are so cute! We have some around here, they are cute but I hate the sound they make, it's so eerie.
- Thursday, May 11, 2006 at 5:58:00 AM PDT
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Maybe you will be able to catch a pic of the baby birds with their mouths wide open begging for food.
George will be all flashy very soon!!- Thursday, May 11, 2006 at 3:13:00 PM PDT
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It may be a messy nest, but morning doves make some of the coolest bird sounds in my honest opinion...
You win some, you lose some.- Thursday, May 11, 2006 at 4:51:00 PM PDT
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There were a pair of doves on my driveway this morning, I am not sure where they are living though.
That nest is pretty messy but it serves it's purpose I guess :)- Thursday, May 11, 2006 at 7:42:00 PM PDT
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Those are some tiny little birds, aren't they?
- Thursday, May 11, 2006 at 7:50:00 PM PDT
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had this to say:
Here via Michele,
great pics, and sweet dove. :)
We have doves in Arizona, several types I often see broken eggs that fell out of the tree. :(- Thursday, May 11, 2006 at 9:48:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
Those dove sure are crazy! They nest in some really weird places at my house. They never seem to stick around though...must be the kitty scaring them off. Cool looking bloom!
I always enjy coming to your site, so I was happy to see you at Michele's tonight :)- Thursday, May 11, 2006 at 10:10:00 PM PDT
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good day to you! most WONDERFUL photographs
and yes, michele sent me- Thursday, May 11, 2006 at 11:51:00 PM PDT
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Hi from Michele this time! but I know my way to your garden. Can't wait to see more pics, spring time is such a wonderful time to watch Mother Nature show herself in all those plants. Have a happy day!
- Friday, May 12, 2006 at 12:54:00 AM PDT
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Perhaps you can solve a mystery for me!
Last spring, a lovely couple of mourning doves nested in the drain spout right outside my youngest son's bedroom window. We named the mama "Olivia" and watched her day after day, until we finally discovered that she had laid two perfect eggs in the nest. What fun, we thought -- we'll watch them hatch right here from the window!
Then, one morning, they were gone. Eggs and birds....gone without a trace. Only the empty nest remained.
What happened to our mourning doves?? The eggs didn't hatch..they just disappeared.
It was puzzling and disappointing, to say the least!- Friday, May 12, 2006 at 8:32:00 AM PDT
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I love doves. They're pretty and sound so nice....
- Friday, May 12, 2006 at 10:59:00 AM PDT
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We have mourning doves as well, and they are lovely birds, but they are VERY noisy when they live directly outside your bedroom window. My daughter is ready to shoo them away as they're right outside the window at the head of her bed. The cat sits on her bed and watches them parade up and down the porch roof, teasing him. They've got personality, thos birds!
Here from michele- Saturday, May 13, 2006 at 9:06:00 PM PDT
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