Bird Feeder Nest

by Pamela
(Midvale, UT, USA)

Dove Nesting on Bird Feeder

My husband and I have a small enclosed backyard, quite safe from roaming critters (except my harmless Maltese, "Ivan").

For the past few summers, a pair of doves come to sit on our back fence each morning.

Last spring, a pair of doves nested in the "dead-end" of one of our rain gutters. The doves sat on their nest through the wind, rain and weather. Since the nest was out of our sight, I don't know if they successfully reared fledglings.

I have an old, covered, weather-beaten bird feeder that I fill each summer. In mid-April, I noticed it had an occupant...a mourning dove!

Perhaps it is the same pair as last year, but this year they have nested in a "sheltered" facility. It is a good thing, since this spring has been especially wet, windy and cold.

We call the parents, "Margaret and Thomas" from the BBC series characters of "Lark Rise to Candleford." ("Margaret," the dove reminds me of "Margaret Brown.")

They don't seem to mind my photo sessions (of them) and gardening in the yard below them.

We have been treated with a great view of the nest and are able to keep an eye on the parents and chicks.

The feeder is only about 10 feet from our back door and 7 feet off the ground.

This has been our first experience with nesting mourning doves; it's fun and pretty exciting.