Doves on my balcony

by Jan
(Plano, Texas)

Since Spring of 2007, I've had mourning doves nesting on my balcony in a flower box.

The first year, I captured some great photos of a particularly active dove family.

Unfortunately, I didn't have a digital camera yet, so some of my pictures didn't turn out as well as I had hoped.

More recently, the dove pairs that have nested on my balcony haven't been as active, and I haven't had the joy of watching the baby doves learn to fly like I did with the first family.

Just a few weeks ago, a snowstorm swept through.

That morning, the mother mourning dove had just laid her first egg on my balcony. The wind howled, and the snow fell all night, a rare and severe storm for Texas.

I didn't think she would make it, and when I looked out the next morning, I feared the worst.

The dove nest on my balcony was completely covered in snow! But to my surprise, when I opened the balcony door, her little head popped out from under the snow!

I was worried about the egg because she left for several hours that morning.

I thought for sure the baby wouldn't survive. But she returned, laid another egg, and both hatched a few days later.

This morning, I checked on the babies, and to my surprise, they flew away from the nest on my balcony!

The parents have returned several times today, but the babies haven't. I hope they're OK.

Baby Dove on Apartment Balcony

by Jim
(Sherman Oaks, CA)

About three weeks ago, I discovered a baby mourning dove on my apartment balcony. For the first couple of weeks, the parents visited regularly to feed him.

When I would sit outside, he would peck at the seed I dropped, often walking between my feet.

Once, he even flew onto my shoulder for a few seconds before returning to the balcony floor.

A week ago, the parents stopped coming, but the baby dove still visits daily, eating the seed I leave out and drinking from a small water dish.

I'm concerned that he should have left by now. Is it normal for a young mourning dove to stay on a balcony so long?

I wonder if I'm interfering with his natural instinct to leave.

He's taken shelter under our barbecue, which keeps him hidden from predators like hawks and owls. At night, he disappears, but every morning, he’s back.

I've grown fond of this little bird, but I want to make sure he does what's best for him.

If anyone has advice on mourning doves nesting or staying on balconies, I'd love to hear it.

Doves On My Balcony Part 2

by Mihoko Tokoro
(Woodland Hills, CA)

A few days after I wrote my original story, two baby doves hatched in the nest on my balcony. Their parents stayed with them 24/7, feeding and protecting them.

I was amazed at how fast they grew, almost like inflatable ducks! Their size doubled each day.

Exactly 14 days after hatching, they flew from the nest on my balcony into the open sky. I was thrilled but also a little sad to see them go.

The nest is empty now... but maybe not for long!

Doves On My Balcony – Part 3

A week after my last story, I noticed another pair of doves checking out the empty nest on my balcony.

Were they the same couple returning or new birds?

Today, a mourning dove began sitting on the nest again. I'm not sure if she's already laid eggs, but I'm hopeful for another successful nesting.

I can't wait to see if we'll have more baby doves soon!

Doves On My Balcony – Part 4

A new mourning dove couple nested on my balcony again! They laid two eggs, and one chick hatched two days before the other.

It's fascinating to see how quickly they grow.

This couple is funny, the father is a bit of a slacker!

He shows up late in the morning, naps while “watching” the babies, and only stays for a short shift before leaving again.

The mother arrives right on time, like clockwork, to take over.

My balcony must be a perfect nesting spot for mourning doves because they keep coming back.

Mihoko

Flower Pot Dove and Babies

by Pat
(Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA)

I had left a plant outside on my third-floor apartment balcony over the winter. Last weekend, I noticed a mourning dove sitting in the flower pot.

At first, I thought she was just resting, but then I realized she never left.

After some research, I learned that mourning doves often nest in flower pots on balconies.

Two days ago, I spotted baby doves in the nest!

One chick was clearly visible, and another was tucked under the mother's wing. She rarely left, but one evening, she disappeared for a while.

I worried she had abandoned the nest, but she returned the next morning.

I feel lucky to witness this mourning dove nesting cycle on my balcony.

I am not sure why she picked a third story balcony with an abandoned plant pot to nest in, but hopefully I get to watch them grow.

The babies are holding their heads up better today than yesterday. Hope you enjoy the pictures!

Doves On Charleston, SC Balcony

by Susan
(Charleston, SC)

I live on the third floor of an apartment building that faces a large wooded area in Charleston, SC.

When I moved in last September, I was delighted by the wildlife that visited my balcony, lizards and tree frogs would come and go, even sneaking inside the apartment sometimes!

With the return of spring and summer, I eagerly awaited their arrival, but instead, my balcony became home to three families of wasps.

Surprisingly, the wasps haven't bothered me or my cats, as long as we don't disturb them. They've been interesting companions.

During this time, I was also visited by a mourning dove that randomly landed on my balcony railing.

As soon as it noticed me, it flew away.

A week later, I startled a pair of doves as I stepped outside. They immediately flew away as well, but I was happy to see them again.

Two weeks ago, I left for a seven-day vacation.

Upon my return, I was shocked to find a nesting mourning dove in the small alcove at the top of the pillar on my balcony!

For the past week, we, the kitties, the wasps, the doves, and myself, have been coexisting in what I hope is a peaceful harmony.

It wasn't until today that I researched mourning doves and discovered that the one bird I've been calling Mama Bird is actually two birds!

The extremely watchful dove I see during the day is the male, while the more relaxed one at night is the female.

Over ten years ago, I had the privilege of watching two baby doves hatch, grow, and take their first flight from a nest that had been haphazardly built on my bedroom windowsill.

I hope this new nesting pair of mourning doves on my balcony will be just as successful!

To avoid disturbing them, I'm limiting the amount of time I (and the kitties) spend on the balcony.

Soon, I'll keep the cats off the balcony entirely, just to make sure there's no chance of a baby falling and being harmed.

What an exciting experience! I only wish my camera weren't broken so I could share a few pictures.

Balcony Doves in St. Catharines Ontario

by Bruce Trimmer
(St. Catharines Ontario)

Our front balcony is small, so it took a while to figure out how to arrange my plants and seating while still having space to relax.

Once I had everything set up, I added a beautiful set of outdoor speakers and patio lights, then some party lights for different occasions.

To complete the space, I installed a shelf for our indoor plants so they could finally get some natural light.

At the end of the shelf, I left a flower pot. I think I ran out of time transplanting something, so it just sat there untouched for a while.

A few days later, I returned from a work trip, grabbed a beer, turned on some music, and sat outside to unwind.

Out of nowhere, a mourning dove flew into the pot, dropped in a few twigs, and took off. A second dove soon arrived and arranged the twigs!

Later that evening, I stepped outside and saw her sitting in the flower pot. She remained there for almost two weeks, though obviously, the pair were taking shifts.

At first, she only laid one egg, but as the season progressed, she began laying two each nesting, until the end of the year.

The next year, I didn't expect them to return, but one day, I spotted a pair of doves back on the shelf!

I thought, Maybe I should build some kind of shelter to block the cold wind?

Sure enough, she nested in the same spot again! You could easily tell they loved their little summer cottage.

Now, they are in their third year of nesting on our balcony, and they've become more comfortable with us.

They let us get much closer before they start flapping their wings to defend their babies.

And by all rights, they should, those wing tips are sharp! I’ve been smacked a few times while watering plants or adjusting my speakers.

What's most incredible is that even when we have music playing or guests over, they don't move.

Mourning doves seem to be highly intelligent birds. For their size, they are amazingly fast flyers, and they're extremely loyal to their nesting site.

I wonder how many more years they'll keep returning to our balcony to nest.