Backyard Birds: May 2020

Photos of our backyard birds taken during May

(birds that aren't posted elsewhere):

First of all, my favorite bird pic this month is this gorgeous Northern Cardinal male...

There are tons of Mourning Doves in our backyard. They visit throughout the daylight hours, often as couples. I sometimes feel sorry for the females because the males constantly chase them down and pounce on them. It certainly doesn't appear to be a courtship behavior although it may be. I haven't really researched enough about the behavior of these birds. I love to hear their soft gentle calls during the day.

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Sweet Mourning Dove couple

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Female Northern Cardinal

The bluebird parents have been doing a little bit of house cleaning lately. Maybe they're preparing for their next family :)

Male Eastern Bluebird

I was excited to see several Tufted Titmouse fledglings at the feeders. There's probably 5 or 6 of these babies. It's so much fun to watch them developing their flying skills. They meander around the feeders while trying to decide how and where to land. They often land in some precarious positions on the pole or hangers. I love their bushy little eyebrows and tiny tufts on top of their heads. They're so stinking cute!

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I've seen several Carolina Chickadee fledglings but haven't had the opportunity to photograph them yet. There are babies everywhere right now!

Backyard Birds- April 2020

A few random shots of my common backyard birds in April:

Red-Bellied Woodpecker, Mourning Dove, Chipping Sparrow and Carolina Chickadee.

Morning Mourning Doves

A pair of Mourning Doves foraged for seeds in our back yard a few mornings ago...

I love Mourning Doves.  I love the bluish circle around their eyes 

and the hint of blue-gray in their feathers.  

Wishing you all a beautiful morning, and a great week!

Short, Sweet Moment

I caught a quick glimpse of something moving near a brush pile in our back yard. When I turned around to look, I saw wings flapping wildly.  Initially I thought it was one of the birds in distress, as if it were being attacked.  But as I got closer, I realized it was a young mourning dove and it was begging for food from its parent.  

The photos aren't that great, but it was a sweet moment.  

I hope you're all experiencing some sweet moments this week :)

Mourning Doves

They come quietly, as if they are trying to tiptoe past a cat...

Mourning Doves are such gentle, humble creatures...

Linked with Stewart on Wild Bird Wednesday

Mourning Dove Couple

This pair of Mourning Doves frequent our feeders almost daily, always together. They tend to stay close to each other when feeding, within 3 to 4 feet at least.  I've watched them countless minutes as they peck at seeds on the ground, pushing aside any ground litter with their beaks. Mourning Doves tend to feed busily on the ground, swallowing seeds and storing them in an enlargement of the esophagus called the crop. Once they've filled it, they can fly to a safe perch to digest the meal.

Members of a pair preen each other with gentle nibbles around the neck as a pair-bonding ritual. Eventually, the pair will progress to grasping beaks and bobbing their heads up and down in unison. During the breeding season, you might see three Mourning Doves flying in tight formation, one after another. This is a form of social display. Typically the bird in the lead is the male of a mated pair. The second bird is an unmated male chasing his rival from the area where he hopes to nest. The third is the female of the mated pair, which seems to go along for the ride.

According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Mourning Doves are the most widespread and abundant game birds in North America. Every year hunters harvest more than 20 million, but the Mourning Dove remains one of our most abundant birds with a U.S. population estimated at 350 million.   

I've heard some people say that dove meat is very good, but I doubt if I'll ever second their opinion.  I realize the birds are heavily populated in the states, but I would have to be starving to kill one and I pray it never comes to that.  I'm going to be in big trouble if it does!