Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Mourning Dove Chicks

     Mourning doves (or coo-birds, as Pop calls them) are pretty common in our neighborhood and there always seems to be a pair close together above on a wire, on the ground near the feeder and even in the middle of the street. They are much less skittish than other birds and slow to take flight, which makes them seem "friendlier" to us humans. These two little fellows were nestlings only a couple of days ago - preferring now the stepping stones and rocks between the house and spruce that housed their nest, an area that offered some protection and maybe some warmth as well. I didn't even need a zoom lens to get a good photograph, and because they seemed almost like pets, I named them Micky and Minnie.
     A few days later, the pair had gained strength and the ability to fly more than a few feet. However it was kinda cute to see that they still stayed pretty close together on their chosen stone. On Mother's Day, one week after this photo was taken, Micky and Minnie were nowhere to be seen and we supposed, or rather hoped, that they had taken up ranks with the adults. I miss their quiet, gentle presence.

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