Saving Baby Mourning Dove

I already know - I shouldn't interfere with nature. And I'm not going to listen to the circle of nature opinion. In this instance I am being ruled with my heart. I came home this afternoon from the cabin to find a Blue Jay pecking my newly hatched baby mourning dove to death. It was too late to save that baby so we started looking for the other one. Meanwhile poor mama Mourning Dove is trying to protect her dead baby carcass from the Blue Jay so of course this has me in tears. My hubby removes the carcass and the Blue Jay is still looking for it and the Mama Dove is still protecting the now empty space.

We thankfully found the other baby - too young to be off his nest. Either the Blue Jays or the wind knocked him down. Greg got a ladder and we put the baby back in his nest. Now I am praying that Mama Dove comes back and finds her baby there and is able to protect him. (I have the baby pictured above.) Please wish me luck and send good thoughts my way. ( My friend Bird Girl - recently shared her story about losing her bluebird babies. - I shed tears that day reading her story. Now today I know how all too well how she felt. )

P.S. These are "Bob the Mourning Dove's" babies that I've been waiting for to hatch.

3 More Babies!

How do you explain this Mary? Two more Mourning doves?! We already have 22 doves in the backyard!

And who does this baby belong to??

Oh please, please let me out to play with them. Really....you can trust me....

Mourning Dove Army

Shelley, I feel it's my duty to tell you that I think the Mourning Doves are planning a takeover of the backyard. They've had at least 6 sets of babies this summer and their army grows strong....

Plus I'm not getting the peanuts I used to off your bird feeders...

This is Napoleon. I think he's the ring leader. He's always marching around and then hides behind a tree when you come out.
















This is Bob and Mary. They've been plotting in the gutters of your house...












Speaking of gutters....check out this new young addition to the army!













That chipmunk needs to mind his own business! Or else....

Baby, baby

I went to check on the baby mallards and was sad to see they were down to five. Originally there were seven. Hoping these little guys make it.

Speaking of babies - can you believe THIS?!

Mrs. Mourning Dove is having more babies! I think this is the 5th or 6th brood - I've lost count. (Unless some other dove is using her old nest.) I just want to ask her "Seriously? No, really - seriously more babies?"

Birds in the backyard

Bird activity was a little slow in the backyard today but I managed to capture a few photos.

This cardinal was eating peanut scraps off the table I used to fill my bird feeders. I loved how he was tilting his head - almost like he wanted to make sure he didn't miss a crumb.








The Mourning Dove babies just don't stop. They keep on coming....

ANOTHER Mourning Dove baby!

Baby? What baby? I don't see another baby here!

Bob - did you have ANOTHER baby???

Ssh Mr. Finch! I think our bird feeding lady is starting to get suspicious!

Enjoying a Sunny Day

Baby Mourning Doves!

I cannot believe how fast these baby mourning doves hatched! It seemed like just a couple weeks ago the mother dove was laying on her nest in my house gutters. It was nice to see these 2 little babies running around my yard. These pictures aren't as good as I would've liked but the babies and their mother seemed nervous and I didn't want to upset them further.

Mama dove trying to distract me with her wings.