Mourning Dove
This pair of Mourning Dove is the first birds coming back to my back yard after being gone for the winter.
I started bird watching and bird feeding last year. This pair of Mourning Dove was frequent visitors. They built a nest in the tree behind the wall; the female bird laid eggs and incubated the eggs. Somehow the eggs were stolen either by the squirrel or by a cat.
The female Mourning Dove was mourning for the loss for many days. The first day, she was sitting on her felly on the grass, motionless for almost ten minutes. The male Mourning Dove was standing, facing her about one foot away. He also didn’t move a feather. I couldn’t believe the scene. I was hiding behind the patio chair to take photos of them, and watched the timer in the camera. Finally, the female bird stood up and moved slowly. Then the male bird stretched his legs and wings, also moved around a little bit. The male gray jay showed such sensitivity toward the female bird. That was an unforgettable sight to me.
Now they are coming back all the way from south. They remember my backyard! I quickly poured out some bird seeds for them. They feel very much at home. When I go in and out to do things in the garden, they are not bothered or frightened by me. Only if I walk too close to them, they would fly away.
I welcome them back, and hope they will try again to make their offspring.
The Showers of Blessings 
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Beautiful post. The birds are a gift.
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Yes, the male is make a nest now. I saw the squirrel on the lower branch. The bird is going for a higher branch this year. I don’t see the female bird this morning! Hmmm!
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Is the squirrel stealing the eggs?
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I don’t know yet. Will keep an eye on it!
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Thank you for the follow. I’ll come over to follow you!
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Thanks!
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My pleasure!!
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I followed and left ant trail!
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Every year we have birds lay eggs on our front porch, but it gets pretty windy in the spring. Sadly, we always lose a few.
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The first time the birds lost their eggs, I was so anxious. i did the research, tried to find some expert to tell me what could have happened to the eggs, one person said it happens all the time!
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This is lovely. I adore birds, and like to take pics of them myself. Last winter an American Robin set up a nest in my patio rafter , he stayed for 4 months, coming at 7 am leaving at 7pm, but always returning . it was so delightful , I did get a picture. ❤
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Yes, they are adorable. I watch them bully newcomers, claim territory since I feed them. It’s interesting to watch! Thank you for the follow! Keep in touch!
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so cute!
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Yes!!
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Wow! Can’t believe they actually returned after a year. And their story is beautiful…It’s touching and I’m sure when you saw them it must have been an unbelievable sight.
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Yes, it was! My first reaction was: “Wow! they remember how to find their way back to my garden!” It was a beautiful moment! Thank you for reading!
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Very sweet. Birds are such fun to watch. I miss that.
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I didn’t start appreciating until last year! Yes, it’s fun to watch them!
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Sweet story. I usually see a pair on my mini barn but didn’t know the correct name. I usually call them turtle doves….I have been corrected. 😉
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I first called them blue jay, but I researched on the images. They are gray jay. I found one image looked exactly like this pair. Thank you for reading!
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Aww it’s heartbreaking to watch birds when they lose their babies. Magpies are always taking fledgling blackbirds where I live every spring. You always know something is happening when you hear the distressed chattering of the blackbirds. Those birds of yours look very much like the collar doves that live in my neighbourhood, they always seem such gentle birds. Hope yours manage to successfully reproduce this year.
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We also have black birds in our garden but they don’t look like Magpies. I don’t know their name. Same thing happened last year. I think the cat ate the eggs. The bird was crying for many days, chased after the cat ans pecked his tail. I wasn’t sure what happened but later figured out. One time the cat just sat still and let the bird peck him as if he deserved it!!
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I love doves!
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Thank you very much!
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Beautiful birds 🙂
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Yes, they are. The female has lighter color. They are very gentle! 🙂
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Bird watching and feeding is a lovely pastime. We have chickadees, nuthatches, cardinals, finches, blue jays, tufted titmouse, woodpeckers, and mourning doves.
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Wow, I love to have all of them come to my garden!!
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Oh they are so lovely.. I’ve never seen gray jay’s before.. Fingers xx that some mini grey jays will survive this Spring! x
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I think they were checking out the trees yesterday. They just got back, may settle down for a while first!! xx
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It is a happy happening for you…..and nice pics ..:)
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Thank you for reading it!!!!
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Really sad!
Nice to know that they feel at home in your backyard !
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It happened two years ago to another pair of birds. But last year, they had 4 eggs and 4 birds. One egg must got twins!
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