So Sad, Lost Both Babies
by Pam
(Boise Idaho)
As I write this I am sitting here crying. My grown daughter says that is silly, that it's only nature, but I just can't help it.
Would like to know why it happened if anybody has any answers I would deeply appreciate it. Here is my story.
My 3yr. granddaughter and I watched two doves build their nest above our arbor in the back yard. We could sit and watch for 3 days from our back porch which is far enough away that they didn't pay any attention to us.
Then they started sitting. I immediately looked up on the internet and found out about the father sitting during the day and mommy at night.
Of course I started calling them mommy and daddy. It was really funny because the daddy would show up between 9:30 and 10:00 each morning.
One morning he was late and the mommy just ragged on him, too funny. I went right out and bought their favorite foods (per the internet) cracked corn and oil sunflower seeds. (just spent another $40 yesterday but they are worth it.)
Anyway, we marked the calender for the "big" day. Sure enough they hatched right on schedule.
I was really worried because the weather turned bad as we all know. The rain was horrid, the wind was worse. I called a lady I found out about to ask if that would bother them because they didn't have shelter.
She assured me that it wouldn't. Well I never actually saw the babies because of the height of the nest and of course they were sitting constantly.
I forgot to mention that they became very familar with my voice due to the fact that I walked right up to where they were (of course they were above my head) and would talk to them calling them mommy & daddy each day when I would feed them.
I talked to them when I mowed, weeded, etc. If another family member would talk close to them they would stretch their neck but if they heard me they would just calm right down.
Anyway, 3 days after the "birthdate" they left the nest all together. I panicked. I called my friend and she laughed at me and told me to relax that they would start doing that but that they weren't far away.
I worried a lot because of where they built their nest was in between two slats and on top of a climbing vine, very thin. Well, went out yesterday and noticed one of the babies was about a foot away from the nest and dead.
I was so upset and didn't know if the parents would be back or if the other baby was okay. I was sure that the baby had fallen out of the nest since like I said the nest is so very small.
I was still sad but very relived when the parent returned to sit right shortly after that. This morning I went out and noticed the parent just going to town bobbing her head up and down as if she was feeding the baby.
I went ahead and got the food and as I took it to the feeder she flew off chatting of course. I walked over to see if the baby had fallen through the thin vine so I could dispose of it, and laying right next to the nest was the second baby, dead.
I got a pole and went ahead and knoced it down. It was almost twice the size of the other so I know the first one died a few days ago.
Anyway I picked up the limp baby and it had blood on it's shoulder as if mommy was picking at it to get it back in the nest. I removed both babies and discared them.
I then went in the house and cried. As I watched out the window mommy flew over real low and then flew off.
What happened? I don't think any cat or other animal could get to them. Did they just fall out of the small nest. Today they would've been 10 days old. I am so sad.
I know they say they may use that nest again but I don't want them to.
I have an open bird house that I made during this time like the one in the picture and I am going to put it up there so if they do come back to sit it should be a lot safer and they should be protected from this weather.
It didn't rain yesterday but the wind was bad, better today. Please if anyone has any answers or can tell me where to look, I would appreciate it.
Thank you all and enjoy those peacful beautiful doves.
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