Doves in Wreath on Front Door

by Karen R.
(Florida)

Doves Make Nest in Wreath

When I first saw the morning doves building a nest in the wreath on my front door, I thought of pulling the twigs out & removing the wreath till they found a new spot.

After googling these beautiful creatures, I changed my mind and decided to keep my front door off limits by blocking the walkway and displaying a sign for people to not come to the door.

I took pics and watched them day & night. I read everything I could about them and was so excited when I saw the babies for the first time, watching the "changing of the guard" (mom & dad changing shifts) when I could see them clearly from a bedroom window close to the door.

The doves would let me get 2-3 ft from the nest to take pics and watch the babies.

One baby fell out of the nest, or maybe the parent kicked it out if it were sick, at 7 days old. It broke my heart and I buried it in my backyard.

I then put a huge cushion and blankets under the door frame in case the other one fell out.

On the 10th day, I heard a slam at my door at 11 PM and ran out the garage to see what happened. A neighbor's cat had got out and was jumping to get the birds.

Parent flew off but the baby was still in the nest as I got the cat back to it's home and told the neighbors to keep it in so it wouldn't kill the last baby dove. I wanted to see them learn to fly so badly.

I stayed up till 2 AM watching for the parent to return, which she didn't...woke up at 7 AM and she still wasn't there, but the baby was moving.

8:30 she returned, then quickly flew off. I went out and the baby was dead in the nest.

After calling a wildlife rescue, I learned that the cat probably got close enough to scratch it and with deadly bacteria in their claws, it would've been enough to kill it.

Or the babies may have both been sick and timing just took the last one at the same time the cat showed up.

I was so worried that I should've covered it that night or tried to feed it, but learned that neither of these were the problem causing death with it being 10 days old.

I think I'll put out one of the nesting houses for them to come back.

It was a grand experience to watch, but such a sad ending...and yet, I also learned 2/3 of them don't make it to adulthood.

Birds and Blooms	Pioneer Woman	People Magazine	First For Women