Picture perfect

Hmmmmmmm???

If you say "Look at the birdy" when you're about to take somebody's photo...what would you say to a bird when you want to snap it's picture?

I know!

The only reason I bring it up is because we now have a nesting Mourning Dove on one of the pergola posts...and it is the sweetest thing! I have named her Blink - for a very obvious reason. One look at her bright, inquisitive face, and you will see a calm exterior, but behind that is the raging urge to flee. Darling bird.

But she stays...nested, and commited to those eggs.

My guess is that she layed them within the last week, as I do recall watching a dove make it's way towards the house - walking over the top of the pergola struts - on more than one occasion through most of last week (week of April 13). I figured it was finding bugs on the wall, or enjoying the heat from the sun radiating off the bricks. Who knew?!

It wasn't until I was trimming the dead wood from the honeysuckle on that post (under Karl's window), and she flew off, that I thought to look down on it later that day from K's room.

This is approximately 4' or less from the windowsill to the nest. On the right of the frame is the concrete exterior sill, and the pink is the brick wall face, looking nearly straight down.

What a view! This is what greeted me in the twilight, and I have to admit to being as excited as a five-year-old. How very cool - right?!

This picture will give you an idea of the size of the eggs. The strip of wood to the left (a stile for deck railing) is 1.25 inches on one face...give or take .25" The eggs are decidedly smaller - maybe the diameter of a quarter. So now, we are on bird patrol. We worry if the temps get low at night, and I hope that the days stay mild and the rain holds off...even though the flowerbed needs a good soaking. I hate the thought of her sitting out in the open like that. Yes, I know birds do it all the time - that's nature. But now that we have such a mild-mannered neighbor, I feel duty-bound to be a "mother hen"...can you blame me?

Happy Earth Day, everybody!