Doves starting another family

Posted on June 18, 2011 by Micki
Logan and the Duck Patrol http://buffalo-creek-press.com/zencart/

After the two baby doves had left the nest, the Mourning Dove parents cleaned the hanging basket nest and brought in fresh straw and twigs. On June 18 , two days after the babies had left the nest, Alden heard flapping wings and ran upstairs with the camera. The female dove was sitting on the nest. She stayed about 30 minutes. When she left, there was one egg in the nest.

Then the male dove flew in and sat on the egg for about 30 minutes. Then he flew off.

one egg in nest

Two days after the dove babies left the nest, there is another egg in the freshly strawed and renovated nest.

This evening, June 18, there is still just one egg in the nest.

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Empty nest!

Posted on June 16, 2011 by Micki

Both baby doves have left the nest. They stood on the edge of the hanging basket and flapped their wings several times a day. The father was there encouraging them. When we got home from work June 15 the nest was empty. We don’t know if the dove parents are suffering from empty nest syndrome, but we are!

Empty nest

Both baby doves have left the nest. Empty nest syndrome for us!

 

It was May 20 when the female dove started incubating the eggs. On June 16 both babies had left the nest. That’s 28 days to incubate and raise two young ones.
Father and two baby doves
The Dad is no doubt talking the baby doves into leaving the nest.

 Doves can live about 5 years if not done in by predators or hunters.

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Baby doves leaving nest

Posted on June 14, 2011 by Micki

This will be the last photos of the baby doves together. One left the nest this morning right after these pictures were taken.

I was outside when I saw the male parent perched on the edge of the nest. A few minutes later I heard a flapping of wings and a baby dove took off from the nest and landed on the walkway. He flapped some more and flew another short distance. He took several short hop flights before disappearing.

The other baby is still in the nest. He is a day or two younger. In the photos, note the head feathers. The head feathers on the one that left the nest were fully developed with only a few pin feathers sticking out. The younger one still has pin feathers covering his head.

Two baby doves together before one left the nest

The baby dove on the right left the nest this morning. Note how his head feathers are more developed than the younger dove's on the left.

baby doves with male parent

This is the last photo of both baby doves with the male parent. The one on the right left the nest this morning.The baby dove on the right left the nest this morning. Notice how his head feathers are more developed than the younger dove on the left.

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Baby Doves about 14 days old

Posted on June 13, 2011 by Micki

The baby doves are about 14 days old. It’s getting a little hard for the parent to keep them covered. They’ll be leaving the nest any day now.

baby doves about 14 days old

The baby doves are about 14 days old.

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Finally caught the baby doves alone

Posted on June 10, 2011 by Micki

We finally caught the baby doves alone while their parents took a short break. We started to go somewhere and noticed there was no parent’s head or tail peeking over the hanging basket nest. Alden ran upstairs and hung out the window to get this shot.

baby doves about 13 days

Baby doves about 13 days old.

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Doves tricked us

Posted on June 10, 2011 by Micki

This morning I saw through the kitchen window that two doves were eating at the bird feeder. Thinking I could get a shot of the babies in the hanging basket without a parent covering them, I grabbed the camera, ran upstairs, hung out the window – and there was a dove on the nest covering the babies. I took pictures anyway.

When I got to work I told my husband about it. He laughed and said this morning very early I saw two doves feeding at the bird feeder, grabbed the camera, ran upstairs, hung out the window and there was a parent covering the babies. When I went downstairs I saw two doves still feeding at the bird feeder and one dove sitting on the nest. There are three doves!

Here are the photos of the babies about 10 days old.

Dove babies 12 days old

The parents are still keeping the dove babies covered at about 12 days old.
Male dove covering baby

The dove parent stands over the babies when it's hot but still keep them covered.

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Mourning Doves one week old

Posted on June 9, 2011 by Micki
Baby Mourning Dove

Baby Mourning Dove one week old

The baby Mourning Doves are one week old today.  Alden hung out the upstairs windows and took pictures. This was just after the shift change and it is the male dove on the nest. He is watching Alden and cooing to the baby doves to get back under him. The parents keep the babies covered most of the time, especially when they sense danger near.

Two baby Mourning Doves

Two baby Mourning Doves with male in nest

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Mourning Doves feeding babies

Posted on June 6, 2011 by Micki

We have been wathing our pair of Mourning Doves from an upstairs window. The pair have just hatched two babies in a hanging basket on our porch. The male takes the day shift and the female takes the night shift.

The hatchlings are only a few days old now. We caught the doves at shift change so were able to get a good view of the two babies.

Here’s a picture of the male dove covering the babies.

Male Mourning Dove Covering Babies

The male Mourning Dove is covering two babies only a few days old.

Female Mourning Dove about to take up her post

Female Mourning Dove about to take up her post at shift change. We got a clear view of the two babies.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Mother Mourning Dove looking up

The Mother Mourning Dove knows we are watching.

 
The Mother Mourning Dove knows we are watching from the upstairs window.
 
In the next photo, you see her feeding the young. Both male and female feed the young “crop milk” or “pigeon milk.” First you see their neck vibrating very fast, then they peck a baby on the back until it sticks her beak into their beak and take the crop milk.
 
Then the parent feeds the next baby.
 
 
 
 
Mother feeding baby doves

Mother feeding the baby doves.

 

Adult Mourning Dove feeding baby dove
Another shot of the Mother Mourning Dove feeding baby.

Copyright © 2011 by Micki Nellis. All rights reserved.

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Duck sentry guarding female while she sets on nest

Posted on June 3, 2011 by Micki

A female duck with three suitors made a nest next to our house foundation and is setting on four eggs. Her three male friends guard her as she incubates the eggs.

female duck with 3 suitors

One female duck in front with three male suitors

 

Duck eggs in nest next to house
Duck eggs in nest next to house, ready for incubating.
Male duck guards female
The male duck guards the female while she incubates her eggs.
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Dove baby hatched

Posted on June 3, 2011 by Micki

At least one dove baby had hatched by last night. Husband Alden noticed the dove was sitting higher in the nest, so went upstairs and hung out the window with the camera for an hour, hoping that the doves would change shifts, as it was about that time. No dice. The male stayed firmly put, but he got some shots of the baby peeking out from under the dove. The papa was standing over the baby but letting its head peek out. He got a shot of the papa feeding the baby. He said that before he fed it, his neck quivered, like he was getting the feed ready. Then the papa lets the baby stick its beak down his craw and get the “pigeon milk.”

male dove with baby

Male Mourning Dove on nest, view from upstairs window.

Male dove feeding baby

Male Mourning dove feeding baby "pigeon milk" from craw

 

Male dove with baby in nest
The male Mourning Dove is keeping the newly hatched baby warm. Look closely and you can see the baby’s beak and eyes.

In this last photo you can see the baby’s beak and eyes peeking out from under the papa.

After Alden waited an hour, he decided to go downstairs and get the other camera. As soon as he left the window the doves changed shifts. They had been watching him.

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