{"id":282,"date":"2010-05-24T18:32:15","date_gmt":"2010-05-24T23:32:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ericsiegmund.com\/gazette\/2010\/05\/24\/100524_dovenest\/"},"modified":"2022-03-17T15:52:50","modified_gmt":"2022-03-17T20:52:50","slug":"100524_dovenest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ericsiegmund.com\/fireant\/2010\/05\/24\/100524_dovenest\/","title":{"rendered":"New Neighbors"},"content":{"rendered":"

I recently wrote about the mockingbird nest<\/a> in one of the trees in our front yard. The fact is, while we don’t have that many trees, and they’re not that big, those we do have are apparently quite attractive to the local birds. Besides the aforementioned mockingbirds, we have a western king bird nest in our live oak, and then there’s this:<\/p>\n

\"Dove<\/div>\n

Can you make out that mass of junk in the middle of the palm tree (and we’re using the word “tree” quite loosely here; it’s more of a palm bush or palm shrub). It’s a dove’s nest, perched precariously a full three feet above the ground.<\/p>\n

We discovered it last weekend, and noticed it only when the nesting dove exploded from the tree as we walked by. Closer inspection revealed this (it’s been a while…forever, in fact, since I’ve been able to photograph down into a nest without a ladder):<\/p>\n

\"Dove<\/div>\n

The mother is quite skittish, and with good reason. She didn’t exactly pick an obscure spot for the young ‘uns. But I was able to point a telephoto lens around the corner and catch her hard at work:<\/p>\n

\"Dove<\/div>\n

As soon as she spotted me, she burst from the nest and took up residence on the neighbor’s roof, keeping an eye on me:<\/p>\n

\"Dove<\/div>\n

Dove as a species don’t strike me as very intelligent; they’re the avian counterpart to sheep. However, this choice of location for a nest isn’t as dumb as it might seem. Sure, it’s close to the ground, but it’s also protected by a seven foot wall and locked gates. There’s danger from weather, but that’s a given regardless of location, but, otherwise, unless another marauding bird makes an appearance, this may be a good place to raise a family. We’d like to think of our neighborhood in those terms, anyway.<\/p>\n