It’s a hot, hot summer especially in the Phoenix area. I don’t think there is a record we haven’t broken this summer season. So, after spending a few weeks out of the heat, I was surprised to see a momma dove sitting on a nest on my roof in the front courtyard of my house. It had to be 150 degrees up there. I was hooked. Reality TV at my house. I got out my binoculars and checked in whenever I was in my bathroom. That is the only place I had a view.
As far as I could tell, she never left that nest. She was unfazed by the heat or anything else. Frankly, the location was just a poor choice. If we had a monsoon, the nest would have been swept away. The eggs should have been hard boiled from the heat on the roof. Still, she was programmed to sit on those eggs no matter what. I was impressed. Until the chicks hatched…
Just as Google said, two chicks hatched two weeks later (I named them Laverne and Shirley). Now she was free to fly – although she had to return and feed them. The feedings were a frenzy. Those chicks are insatiable. It was fun to watch. Then, a friend came over to have a look. We tiptoed into the courtyard. She stepped up on a chair to get a better look…and…scared the chicks. They took flight but didn’t know what that was or how to navigate. They didn’t get far. They ended up abandoning the nest and setting up house in my courtyard. At least I could view them from multiple windows. Evidently, it was up to me to accommodate their schedule and change my routine for more than two weeks. Google didn’t have a timeline for this situation.
Mom was not around much. I only saw her come to feed them twice. However, they look like teenagers now so she must be feeding them. Laverne and Shirley are always together. Very cute. Sometimes they sit on my furniture, sometimes on the ground in the shade, sometime hiding in the bushes. Sometimes a rabbit or a lizard or a quail comes to visit. They are unfazed by their friends from the animal kingdom.
I think I have been a good steward of their development to maturity, but it is time for them to go. They have overstayed their welcome. The mess they are going to leave behind is just gross. It will take me hours to clean it up. Laverne and Shirley have provided me with some entertainment, but season one of this reality show needs to end soon. It’s time for the young birds to get kicked out of the house and find their way in the world.
Yet, I’ll miss them and will always wonder when I see a dove flying if it is them. Will they recognize me?
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We had two birds that nested in a fake tree on our balcony! They returned the following year. So if you don’t want your birds to return next year you may need to make them feel unwelcome immediately! Either way, you got to experience one of the wonders of nature. Lucky you, even if you have a royal mess to clean!