Earlier this year I noticed a pair of Mourning Doves checking out our garden center at work (Home Depot). They eventually made a nest under a pallet of clay pots up on the racking. Well, last Thursday the pallet had to come down, and the nest was destroyed. One of my coworkers, Zack, picked up the babies and put them in a bucket lined with paper towels for safe keeping. Mourning Dove chicks ( photo / image / picture from TheBip's Garden ) When I got outside later that day, he showed them to me and I told him Id figure out something to do with them. The bf told me "You are not bringing them home!" So I racked my brain trying to figure out how to put them in a safe spot so mom and dad could find them. Finally I came up with a plan. Coworker Marcia found a broken clay saucer, and I used that for the base. I found a coconut basket liner that had been picked at by the other birds, and put them together. I climbed up a ladder to the top of the racking and put the makeshift nest just under the canopy. I then placed the babies with the paper towel liner in the "nest", climbed back down, and waited. ( photo / image / picture from TheBip's Garden ) I saw the doves flying around, and eventually they discovered the nest, but seemed unsure about it. I finally had to leave for the night, and I worried about the babies, as the weather had been chilly and wet and I was off the next day so couldnt check on them. Then yesterday, I saw one of the doves sitting on the nest, and I hoped the babies had made it. ( photo / image / picture from TheBip's Garden ) Today, I finally got proof. I saw one of the babies sitting next to mom Couldnt get a pic of that, as my camera aint that great (its my phone camera), and as you can see my last pic was funky cause I had to hold it above my head, cause I was on a shorter ladder than last time *lol*
Chapeau! You did a great job there, Bip. You have got to be feeling pretty proud of yourself at the moment.
Quick thinking Jen and a great alternative to their own nest. Let's hope both youngsters have survived. Well done!! Do keep us updated won't you?
Finally got a pic with parent and baby Also got to witness a feeding...its weird... Mourning Doves ( photo / image / picture from TheBip's Garden )
Parent doves, like pigeons, feed their young via Crop Milk. They barf it up into the babies mouths. Looks like their choking them *lol* And its kinda gross, although I guess not if youre a bird
Way to go Bip!! You get Brownie points with Mother Nature for taking care of her creatures. I think Doves are the sweetest birds.
