Baby Pictures

Proud Mama and baby

Aahhh, very sweet! Thanks for sharing it with us Colquhoun!

Very sweet...thanks!

Adorable. Looks like mama put on lipstick and eyeshadow for the photo op! So pretty.

How did you ever get so close??

She is virtually tame.. They built the nest just outside our backdoor.. and with all our coming and going they have gotten used to us. In fact when the telephone guy came today.. she sat calmly while I moved her and her nest 5 foot.. so they could get to the box to work.

How sweet!

Opps!, uploaded the wrong one.

This message was edited May 29, 2008 7:31 PM

he is getting bigger

So sweet

My favorite

They are all great shots but the last one just stole my heart. Mama sure looks like she is smiling doesn't she?!!

Proud momma! That last one is a great shot!

Wow the awwww factor is off the charts! Thanks so much!

awwwwww is right. ha. wonder how much warmer that baby is with mom halfway on top like that.

What beautiful images, Colquhoun. Mum's trust has rubbed off onto the baby. There is no sign of wariness in their eyes. More! More! What type of doves are they?

Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura.

The young one looks very nearly ready to fledge in that last pic.

Resin

Thanks, Resin. What's the background of your obviously very extensive knowledge? Margaret.

The baby has left the nest now. Yes they are Mourning Doves. Here they as a speices are doing very well. Growing up in the South, they were nearly a cultural icon. During hunting season they can not be hunted until after 12:00 pm. As a result a dove hunt was normally a big social event, that included breakfast, tall tales.. and a joyfull wagon ride to fields and blinds. Doves fly fairly fast and are a challenge to shoot. Mourning Doves are some of the prolific birds in North America.. they have to be.. the mortality rate for mourning doves in the first year is nearly 80% as a result they have 4 to 5 clutch of 2 eggs each. I used to joke with my wife the they looked like lunch to me.. but after living closely with semi-tame mourning doves on my place.. I have come to love them in new way. Urbanized Mourning Doves and Canadian Geese are two of the great sucess and horror for North American conservation.

Thanks, Colquhoun. Any updates?

Shelducks

Resin

Beautiful birds, Resin. Thanks. Different to our Shelducks, the Mountain Shelduck.

A very handsome bird Resin!

Gorgeous photos!