Saturday, August 6, 2011

Mourning Doves

I should have been posting this over the past couple weeks but just didn't get to it... A little while back I figured out that I had a Mourning Dove nest on the ledge outside my office window.  It turns out there were two eggs under the bird and it has been a great few weeks following this adventure!!  I got the first pictures on July 21st. It has been tough getting pictures since the nest is tucked in nicely below my window.  But that hasn't stopped me from doigng my best to get some shots!  I have also learned something about mourning doves - they mate for life, they have several batches of babies each year - two eggs each time - and they take turns sitting on the nest.  So here are a bunch of pictures:

This is what I saw outside my window back on July 21st (I am in an old office building as is evident fromthe lovely window!)
Two mourning dove eggs
Chick number one has hatched on July 28th!!
Not too pretty quite yet!!
Papa bird coming in to relieve Momma bird (I need to wait until this trade off and get some pictures when neither bird is on the nest)
Both birds have now hatched (July 30th)
They are getting a bit bigger now (and many of my pictures are krappy...)
Here is today's update!  They are both giving me the eye and staring me down!!  They are getting quite large now and I wonder how much longer they will be in the nest??
Here is a picture of one of the parents waiting for me to bugger off and quit taking pictures so they can get back on the nest (I love this picture!!)