Graveling Doves.

I spent a couple of hours this morning counting doves, both on my feeder and in my gravel driveway. No way I could get a completely accurate count, as some were counted in both places. My conclusion is that most of the doves do not come to my feeder. At least 10 times as many were "graveling" as were feeding at the feeder. That is how they are able to consume sunflower seeds whole. Rocks in the gizzard. There are few natural places to get gravel around here. They pick the little pieces of hard stuff off the rooftop shingles as well. That is the reason they are so commonly seen on roadways.
They are more attracted to gravel than to easily obtained food.

Oh, so thats why! I had a MD in the road last week and he would not budge. I had to put the car in Park get out and really scare him away.

I guess the fall migration has started. Lots of mourning doves at the feeder, and several hundred on the driveway. Very nervous birds when compared to the locals.

Is that why they are nervous? I thought maybe they knew it is getting close to hunting season. Seriously, it seems to me that all the birds are getting nervous. Except the hummers.

Well that explains why they're always sitting on our gravel, too! Our parrots have been nervous lately, and off their food. I keep expecting an earthquake - it's that kind of weather.

I don't know if it is the hunting season or not, but I know they seem to hate colder weather. I talked to my sister in Oklahoma yesterday and they had a couple of wet, cool days. This is a major dove rookery area, and the hunters get peaved about an early cool down, as most of the birds will be gone on opening day. (Sept. 1st.)
They will calm down in a couple of days when they become more familiar with our little sanctuary.