within reach they sit, yet forever beyond my grasp. I’m filled with a quiet happiness when I see them. I am comforted when they sing to me.”
—Mary Oliver
The last time I saw the baby dove, at this point a fledgling ready to spread its’ wings, it was sitting calmly taking refuge in front of the buddha statue in our garden (photo), and in the blink of an eye it was gone, but not forgotten.
Many cultures see doves as a sign of love, hope, peace, grace, gentleness and purity.This is the second year in a row that mourning doves built a cozy little nest in the same hanging flower planter in ouropen air atrium in our front patio recently remodeled with Tuscan style pavers and stone planter box.Mourning doves begin building nests early in the spring season and continue as late as October. This one was born around September 11. I’ve learned that doves who have raised a brood will return to that same nesting site year after year and that the nesting parents don’t range far from the nest. Both the male and female dove cooperate in nest-building and brooding. Their flimsy or should I say dense delicate nests are made of pine needles, twigs and grass. Mourning doves have three broods in a single year, each one in a new nest. The female lays two eggs—one in the morning and one at night. The father sits on the nest during the day and the mother takes the night shift. They hatch in 14-16 days, and the babies fledge in another two weeks. However, the parents continue to provide care if needed for another week or two. The baby as seen here is laying under its’ mother’s wing. Cecile and I often witnessed their presence from our kitchen window that looks out to our atrium. I often used a small step stool to quietly monitor their progress.
The mother dove didn’t flinch, but her and her baby looked so vulnerable.When I took serial photos over time with my iPhone she did blink her eyes at the soft sound of the click. New research suggests that some birds may know who their human friends are, as they are able to recognize people’s faces and differentiate between voices. Being able to distinguish between friend or foe could be the key to the doves ability to survive. Cecile and I like to think we were trusted friends who had their best interest at heart.
Postscript: The low-pitched, owl-like cooing sound frequently heard in early March give the mourning dove its name. The sound is referred to as an “advertising coo” or “perch coo.” Cooing males advertise their presence and readiness to breed. Their single-minded purpose is to attract a female. Unlike last year, the nest only had one egg instead of two leaving us wonder if one egg wasn’t viable or was raided by a predator. It is true that doves do mate for life, but the life span is very short, lasting several years.
