Bottom Line Up Front - a female dove has taken up residence in a pre-used nesting site but doesn't appear to have hatched any eggs. What's up with that?
Back story - last year a Mourning Dove couple set up residence in a corner eave of our front porch. Being new to this, we locked off the front door and used the back while setting up a porch chair to block the mailman's access. I studied up on their birthing cycle and sure enough, from late Spring well into the summer they had four pairs of babydoves. Mommydaddy even showed the last pair off to me.
Fast forward - this spring (and it seemed a bit early, March maybe?) a couple set up housekeeping in the same spot. I'm going to pretend it was one of last year's babies grown up and returning to the familiar. Unfortunately, the female seemed skittish and maybe dumber-than-the-usual mourning dove. At least two eggs were dropped, along with the nesting materials.
I tacked up a thin strip of plywood to act like a bed rail and eventually was rewarded by someone nesting there. However, doing quick math on my fingers we're now waaaaaaaaaaay past the settling in period (4 days), hatching (4 days) and nurturing.
I'm thinking this may just be a female as I haven't observed a changing-of-guard (like last year).
Whatever the answer(s) may be, she's got a sweet spot - dry, safe, tuna tin of water mysteriously refills and handfulls of bird seed show up on the concrete bench below her at random times.
Bonus - potato-grade fuzzy photos from last year and this year are available, should anyone wish to be bored to tears.
Back story - last year a Mourning Dove couple set up residence in a corner eave of our front porch. Being new to this, we locked off the front door and used the back while setting up a porch chair to block the mailman's access. I studied up on their birthing cycle and sure enough, from late Spring well into the summer they had four pairs of babydoves. Mommydaddy even showed the last pair off to me.
Fast forward - this spring (and it seemed a bit early, March maybe?) a couple set up housekeeping in the same spot. I'm going to pretend it was one of last year's babies grown up and returning to the familiar. Unfortunately, the female seemed skittish and maybe dumber-than-the-usual mourning dove. At least two eggs were dropped, along with the nesting materials.
I tacked up a thin strip of plywood to act like a bed rail and eventually was rewarded by someone nesting there. However, doing quick math on my fingers we're now waaaaaaaaaaay past the settling in period (4 days), hatching (4 days) and nurturing.
I'm thinking this may just be a female as I haven't observed a changing-of-guard (like last year).
Is it possible she just likes the spot and doesn't intend to breed?
Could she be a widow, w/o a partner?
Could she be a widow, w/o a partner?
Whatever the answer(s) may be, she's got a sweet spot - dry, safe, tuna tin of water mysteriously refills and handfulls of bird seed show up on the concrete bench below her at random times.
Bonus - potato-grade fuzzy photos from last year and this year are available, should anyone wish to be bored to tears.
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