Dove in the Yard

[Saknussem]

We have some kamikaze doves nesting in a hanging flower pot about 6 feet off the ground in our yard. It is also right under an eave where stray cats like to hang out.
The male has been sitting on the nest every day, but today, he flew off for a minute (for whatever Dove-type reason he had) and I ran out to the yard and took this pic.

[wolf]

Excellent picture!!

We have a pair of mourning doves at work that decided to nest in the eaves of the Butt Hutt behind the Chart Room.

They are not very effective architects or construction engineers. They typically lose the first nest every year to a strong wind, which unfortunately blows after they have laid and are sitting the first clutch.

The second nest usually works out.

This is why we are not overrun with Mourning Doves.

[xoxoxoBruce]

he flew off for a minute (for whatever Dove-type reason he had)

Probably to get a Dove Bar.
Good job, Saknussem! Really hard to get that sort of thing without getting attacked or falling off a ladder.

[FloridaDragon]

Nice picture! We always put hanging pots on our porch when we were in CT and the birds always found them and nested in them. First picture is robin babies and the second is the eggs of the purple finch. They made it real hard to keep the plants alive so I finally ran drip irrigation lines to the pots so I could keep the plants alive by just turning on the faucet occasionally.

[busterb]

There is a sparrow in this nest at my living room window.

[BigV]

Originally Posted by wolf

Excellent picture!!

We have a pair of mourning doves at work that decided to nest in the eaves of the Butt Hutt behind the Chart Room.

They are not very effective architects or construction engineers. They typically lose the first nest every year to a strong wind, which unfortunately blows after they have laid and are sitting the first clutch.

The second nest usually works out.

This is why we are not overrun with Mourning Doves.

It's in their contract. No loss, no mourning.

[Billy]

I remember that there were the swallow nests in my house and other bird nests on the yard trees im my home town. The floor was easily dirty by the swallows. So I often destroyed the nests and drove away the swallows. I think I did wrong to them. They also eat the mosquito to help us. They should have their right to "rent" our eaves.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Eating mosquitoes is nice but I don't want to walk in bird poop all the time.

[Saknussem]

I'm just worried about these guys because they are about a foot below the eave right in reach of stray cats.

[glatt]

Our neighbors let their young active cat wander around outside. Normally I don't mind, but over the weekend, I had the misfortune of watching through the window while their cat tortured a little wild baby bunny in our back yard. Poor bunny. It was so small, I thought it was a big mouse at first. Now it's dead. At least it died slowly with lots of fear and pain.

[mrnoodle]

I've spent the last couple of days chasing a robin away from the exhaust thingy to our fireplace (gas). They nested there last year, not paying attention to the fact that it's not only metal, but it's on the west wall of the house. Starting at about 2 p.m. and going till sundown, it's literally an oven. They lost a couple of chicks, and the frenzy that I caused when trying to help the remainder was quite memorable.

The parents would take turns sitting on the nest as the sun encroached, using their bodies to shield the chicks. I took a hose and sprinkler attachment and sprayed underneath the box, hoping to dispel some of the heat from underneath. They appreciated that, and even the mist that i sprayed over them -- they drank and drank. But hanging a towel from the roof to keep the sun off the box? Bad move.

The male parent would have nothing to do with the nest from that day forward, even after the towel was removed. The female stood underneath and puzzled over the flapping, bright invader for about 2 hours before she decided she could live with it. Meanwhile, the chicks start freaking out and bailing out of the nest over the course of a couple of days. Found one dead on the ground, one dead in the nest, and the remaining 2 weren't looking so hot. I guess the combined stress of the sun, the human, the towel was just too much for em.

I went to take down the towel when we were down to one survivor and it looked like he was about to get big enough to make a break for it. Put up the ladder, climbed up and removed the towel, and immediately frightened the chick into a suicidal dive out of the nest. sheesh, jumpy little critters.

so there he is, hopping all around and giving his little alarm cheep, when mom and dad come to the rescue. They gave me these withering looks (i swear. you had to be there) and immediately started divebombing me. It was like they were saying, "We KNEW it was all a sham to get to our babies, you vile carnivore!"

Fuck em. I left the baby on the ground and they all relocated to a ground nest under the hedge. Afterwards they all decided I was all right and they tolerate my presence now. Unfortunately, the instinct to return to the original nest is still there. I'll keep tearing it down until they give up. From the little I know of robin behavior, I may be fighting a losing battle, but we'll see.

I should've introduced them properly. This line of robins are almost pets. We've never touched them physically, but they're insanely curious about everything we do in the yard. When we mow, they hop behind us and eat the bugs we stir up. We have a little dance. They see me get to the end of a row and turn around, they get off to the side until I'm past, then get back in line and away we go. Symbiosis, don't ya know.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Aw, you're such a pussy cat.
Unfortunately pussy cats are bad for robins.

[Gravdigr]

We had a pretty strong thunderstorm move through last night...this morning, Momdigr & Slick found this fellow in the yard. His nestmate, was not as lucky as this one. Mother dove was around, watching. I scooped it up with a small flower pot, and put him in his nest, which was also blown out of the tree, and placed in a flower pot on a table, doves have nested like that before here. Maybe she'll accept the relocation.

Both of these pics are the survivor.

[Gravdigr]

He didn't survive the night.

[Chocolatl]

Awww.