Dove Nesting On Ladder.

by Lee
(Texas)

One day I went out into the backyard to find a bunch of twigs and sticks on my ladder.

At first I thought it was kind of funny but figured what the heck. We'll see what happens.

A couple days later I come home late from work to find all the twigs on the ground but an egg sitting on the paint shelf of the ladder.

I picked up all the sticks and kind of placed them back around the egg quickly and left.

Next morning we have a dove sitting on the egg.

The ladder is right in front of a window and I have been able to open the shades to get photos.

The birds don't seem to mind to much. I take a quick photo and close the blind.

Gertrude - the Downspout Nesting Dove

by Marjorie L Martin
(West Allis, WI, USA)

When the weather warmed up, I noticed small branches at the entrance to my front door.

Thinking the wind had blown them there, I would sweep them up and not give it another thought. However, one day I looked up at my gutter downspout and there was a nesting bird.

At first I thought she was too close to my front door and I should have her removed...After considering for a moment, I decided to leave her alone to continue her nesting process. (I now use my garage door exclusively) so that I won't bother her or frighten her away.

I went online and found that she is a "Mourning Dove". I have asked my friends to call before they come over so that I can let them in through my garage door.

I call her Gertrude, Gertie for short. I will leave her alone until her nest is empty; then, I will have my Condo Association remove the nest and install flashing to keep the area bird free.

However, I am really enjoying watching her process. She is beautiful, very quiet and even if I open the door to view her, she seems just fine with that.

Dove Nest on Hanging Ladder

by Aubrey Huggins
(Kingston, Ontario, Canada)

While cutting my grass the other day I heard a sound and saw something out of the corner of my eye.

I looked up and saw what appeared to be a bird nest built in/on a ladder that was hanging from a neighbor's shed.

I got my ladder and soon discovered 2 white eggs in a flimsy-built nest.

My wife and I took many photos of the eggs and were glad to see the pair of doves return and one to sit on the eggs.

The other was on a wire not far away.

We took many photos of the one dove sitting on the eggs.

Today the contractors were here to put new shingles on our roof. The sitting dove did not leave the nest all day while they were here/.

They finally left for a little while when the noise from the roofers stopped.

Dove Nesting on Top of Front Porch Lamp

by Jessica
(Naples, Florida, U.S.A)

Well, I'm 15, pretty much a youngin' and not very aware of how bird watching works.

I have a lamp that hangs outside my front porch from the ceiling roof of my house.

A Mourning Dove chose the top of this lamp for nesting. A weird but very wise choice.

By wise I mean; covered and protected from weather, and also surrounded by a family of humans that wishes to do her no harm.

I think she realizes that now. I'm very surprised by how calm she is with us.

Her nest is about 5ft. from my front door, and there are a lot of us walking in and out several times throughout the day coming within 2 ft of her sometimes and she remains.

I think she is no longer frightened by us at all anymore. She's been around for about a week now.

The first night I saw her nesting, when she saw me she flew away. I felt very bad. I thought she'd abandoned her nest.

The next morning when she still wasn't there I felt even worse, BUT when I arrived back from school that afternoon there she was, and she hasn't left or been startled off again since then.

I think she's going to be laying eggs soon.

When she does and the babies come, I will send some more pictures.

Baker Rack Dove Nest

by Ernie Munshower
(Spring, Texas)

We were working in our front garden area and found mulch on a baker's rack on the front patio.

We threw it into the garden and did not think much more of it until the next day when we found the "mulch" back with an egg in it.

The attached photographs are the result of the "mulch".


Ernie Munshower

Doves Nesting On Patio Ceiling Fan

by Loli
(Wellington, Fl., USA)

We live in Florida. Our back patio and yard face a small pond.

Wildlife is always plentiful by the pond, especially mornings.

We regularly see Herons, egrets, snake birds, blackbirds, a red cardinal, and once in a while, an eagle perches atop a pine tree at the pond edge.

However, recently we noticed a mourning dove coming and going in the backyard. (casing the area?) Soon afterward another appeared, apparently its mate.

Then, lo and behold, they began building a nest atop the unused ceiling fan on our patio.

The reason this was possible is that the last 3 hurricanes blew out our patio screens.

After the last one, we quit replacing them. This enabled these birds to come and go.

I am amazed though since we also come and go on the patio, taking our 3 shelties out, or eating at the patio table which is directly under the ceiling fan.

I am amazed the bird feels so safe up there. We smile each time we look up now.

Update On The Ceiling Fan Doves


My husband and I went away on vacation.

Before we left the mom-and-pop doves were still coming and going, but no sign of birth.

We did, however, once see them both take away a half shell...so we wondered if one of the eggs was a dud since there were still no hatchlings.

Then...we got back from vacation and checked the patio, and lo and behold, the miracle of birth occurred while we were away.

Two adorable hatchlings are now part of our family of doves.

Doves Nesting on Top of Decorative Birdhouse

by Edie Goodban
(Redding, Ca, US)

We hung out a small birdhouse for house finches. (before we found out they don't nest inside birdhouses)

It has a peaked roof and is hung up against a porch pillar.

A pair of mourning doves decided to use the roof to build a nest.

They had twigs sticking out into space, but persisted!

The nest was completed and the birds began setting on it.

The location is right outside our bedroom sliding door, and they can see us and we can watch them.

My husband can even water the patio plants by moving slowly and carefully and avoiding looking directly at them.

Finally, the eggs hatched. We could barely stand to watch as the babies hung onto the little nest, sometimes getting their balance by flapping a little wing.

It was nerve-wracking, more for us than for them!

In a couple of weeks, the fledgings took off, surviving the crowded nest on the little birdhouse roof.

We wanted to remove the birdhouse before they started again, but in only one day Mom and Dad were repairing the nest and starting another clutch!

I guess we'll just hold our breath and hope no one falls out this time.

They are wonderful to watch, though, and we are hoping for another successful brood.

Doves Accept Wicker Basket for Nesting

by Gary Blaylock
(San Diego, CA)

A little over a year ago we noticed a pair "checking out" a little nook in our patio, on top of a 4X6.

Soon they were busy building a nest. It seemed that the more they worked, the more nest material just fell of the narrow platform.

But, they kept bringing in new material or flying down to retrieve fallen twigs, etc.

We guessed that they must have just given up, because they suddenly disappeared, leaving a couple of twigs on the ledge and a big pile on our patio floor.

I thought, just in case they or another pair decide to come back to the area, I would make it a little easier to build a secure nest.

I found one of our old wicker trays used to hold paper plates. I anchored it to the top of the 4X6, in the same place where they worked so diligently.

Sure enough, a few days later, they were back. I just happened to be watching when they arrived. They climbed in and out of the tray nd "sniffed" all around it.

They must have figured it was safe, because within a few hours they were busy, again, building a nest in their new enlarged home.

They've returned to the same nest several times and have raised at least 4 - 5 broods since I built their nesting shelf.

Our granddaughters are fascinated when they visit. They'll sit forever on our patio watching the "daddy" sit on the nest.

And, of course, are delighted when the eggs hatch and they can get a look at the new babies.

The pair don't seem to mind our bird watching and will get off the nest while we are watching. As though they wanted to "show off" their brood.

I thought this behavior was very odd since they are usually so fearful and startle so easily.

Perhaps they have sensed that they are safe, protected and cherished in our little "Dove Patio"

UPDATE


I finally got a picture of "Dad" sitting on the nest. He didn't seem to mind at all, even when the flash went off.

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