A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2007 Mourning Doves in my tree!!

I was out listening to all the birds in the trees and yard yesterday and came across a dove sitting in a nest up in the tree.

Just leave them alone is best, Tonya. If the Mother Dove is out and you can quickly and EASILY get to the nest without a ladder then you can get some quick pictures before she returns. If she is in the area where she can see her it is best NOT to disturb her. That's what Zoom and telephoto lenses are for.

If she's constantly sitting on the nest there are probably eggs.
Keep an eye out for when the babies fledge so milkshake doesnt get a snack in case one falls.
They usually have 2 eggs, sometimes just 1 and up to 4. Incubation time is only 2 weeks!

Awww...thats so cute Tonya...i have a pair that sit on the wires outside my house all summer...cant wait for them to come back!!

Here is mama dove on the nest:







I decided to wait and watch. I'm not going to try for pics. Not unless I get a better camera- I don't want to cause a disturbance or anything. I go out probably 50 times a day to look at her sitting there. I can't get to the nest easily to get baby pics, tho. Maybe I can get some once they are bigger. I am watching Milkshake so I can try to keep him away.

The first picture is great Tonya!!!

Yeah- I realized after posting that the other two were not the best They do show the nest well, tho! I love the way she is "peeking" out of the leaves in the first one!

Hey Tonya,
When we lived in our last house in town, we had a pair of doves nest in a tree right over my redbone houndog's pen. By standing on top of the dog house, I was able to get a series of pics of them on the nest and the babies after they hatched. The pics are around here somewhere but since we moved first to a rent house then to our house we built, I really don't know where. Anyway, guess they liked it because they returned for the next two years in a row before we sold the house. We really enjoyed watching them. We are out in the country now with 11 1/2 acres that we're fixing up to be "wildlife friendly" and I have anywhere from approx. 30 to 40 doves at a time at my feeders. For a while I was getting at least that many orioles but the seem to be migrating on up north. Maybe your doves will return each year too.

Very good picture, Tonya. Typical dove nest, a platform of twigs. Good shot.

Is that chittering sound they make from their throats or from their wings?
You know, that high pitched chitter doves make when they suddenly take off?

That sound comes from the wind whistling through the feathers of their wings. Doves make a soft pigeon-like cooing.

yay!! my mourning doves are BACK!!!

saw them in the tree in their usual spot just this morning!! they haven't started building the nest yet...i sat and watched them for a few moments. it was so nice to see them taking turns grooming each other!

they've been a mainstay in my tree since the second year i was here (the first year they'd built a nest on the garage roof).

3 years ago, a cat got to their babies (there were 4 that year too). 2 years ago another cat got to the babes (only 2 that year) and then i saw one of the parents had gotten hit by a car out in front

i was so sad for the little thing - just sitting in the tree all by itself and cooing and cooing for it's mate.

didn't see any last year. i'm SO glad they're back!!! i'm assuming it's the remaining one that is newly paired up - or maybe one of their babes from a previous year...

i'll try to get some pics to post too!!

I have a pair in my yard, too.

YAY!! Mourning doves for everyone!

The momma is still on the nest for now.....I can't wait to see the babies! Mackenna and I go out every day to look up and "check" on them! OK- so I am checking on them.....she just laughs and points around going "This??"

Thorny, I have 3 doves, 3 California towhees, several of those sparrows with black and white stripes on their heads, still just the one hummer, and the reddest robin I've seen here.
And a partriiiiiidge in a pear tree........ !

Mmmmmm! Partridge with pear sauce for Supper!

My mourning doves returned today! First sighting of them this year and they nest at my house!

looks like we need to start a 'mourning doves nest at my place' club!!

I'm not sure where my Mourning Doves nest, but I get a lot of Robin and Eastern Kingbird Nests in my yard. I'll be doing a photo diary of the nests in my yard later this spring. I did a quick check of the yard today, but no nests, yet.

We saw Mourning Doves here lastnight.... a pair on the hydro lines right in front of my house!!!!!!

Mourning Doves Love the "Hydro" lines......I like that! very Canadian!

What can i say