I told you about a couple of mourning doves hanging around our back yard. They seemed fearless, even when the dog walked by. Lately I haven't noticed them. I assumed they left. Then while my husband, Gene, was trimming the bush, he saw the nest. I was excited, but as I searched the Internet, I quickly became sad again. It seems mourning doves don't leave their nest much and take turns sitting on the eggs. I figured they must have abandoned the nest, or were killed. I saw no evidence of them being killed, but it seems strange the eggs are just sitting there. Then my husband said he saw one of the birds come around as he was sweeping. I am happy again! Maybe we will have babies! I will keep you posted. We also have a family of barn owls in our neighborhood. Every night we walk and in a palm tree up the street there is loud squawking. I mean ALL night long. I can't believe the people on that street enjoy the continual squawking, but I love looking for them. Last year, around this time, I remember seeing 2 young ones in a big tree branch just over the sidewalk. It was such a blast shining the flashlight up and watching them. We had the whole neighborhood out to gaze up at them. This year we haven't seen them that close. We catch sight of one on the telephone pole and see "eyes" gleaming back at us in the palm tree (it is probably 80 feet up) and occasionally we see the mom fly by. I often wonder how many nests are around us?Which reminds me of a funny story.....when my son was in high school biology, he had to dissect owl pellets. The teacher was a great guy and went out of his way to teach wonderful things like that. (he would go to a place much like the one I described above and look for the owl pellets) Anyway, he explained that you can find bones and encouraged the kids to try and find a whole skeleton. Since my son was our second child, and we knew he would be doing this in class, I had the idea that my son should take this miniature toy human skeleton he had from a magic kit and when the time came he should say "I have a whole skeleton!"....which he did. The teacher, so excited came over to see! And then roared with laughter!
Anyway, I'll keep you posted on the mourning doves.....cross your fingers!
Both parents are there now.....looking very proud!
