Not sure of the other questions, but the doves in this area are mostly Mourning doves. There were a few ring-neck doves earlier in the Spring, but I think they are mostly gone now. Here's some good info on Mourning doves:

http://wildlife.state.co.us/WildlifeSpecies/Profiles/Birds/Pages/MourningDove.aspx

thx mama!

If you see a lot of white on a tail that is broad rather than pointed and, you see a collar over the top of the neck:

She is probably a Eurasian Collared Dove.

If you click the link below and scroll down to "Invasive species" - the story is an interesting one. I had not seen a Collared Dove here until about 6 years ago. They showed up in good numbers. Then, the numbers seemed to drop but they are still here. Whether they are displacing the Mourning Doves, I don't know.

Steve

Here is a link that might be useful: wikipedia.org/wiki/Collared_dove

Hmm, Steve, I think she does have a black collar around her neck.
But now I'm wondering if she's sitting on an empty nest?

That link says they lay 2 eggs at a time and she already had 2.
I did not record the day that the other 2 eggs fell out of the nest and cracked on the deck. It could have been in May.
It's been at least another 18 days since then, I think, and no sign yet of any babies.

I just see one, but I suppose there could be another one .

I was surprised to find out that we have a mama bird making a nest near our as well! She decided the Wisteria growing on a small arbor in front of our bay window was just the right spot. She's a small bird, probably a sparrow or finch. You can barely see the nest, so the only way we knew she was in there was when my husband saw her fly in there a few times with nest materials in her beak and we got to looking closely. I usually walk over to the arbor and tuck the new growth shoots of the Wisteria back around the arbor posts, as well as water from there. So she, too, didn't pick the best spot because of that - otherwise, it is rather cozy looking as the Wisteria has really put out a dense mat of greenery this year. I'll leave that area alone as much as possible for awhile, and keep looking for signs of some babies.

I opened the blinds on the window this morning and saw her snuggled in her nest. Here's a pic of our little mama bird :)

Any more signs of babies, b2?

Marj

This post was edited by mstywoods on Sat, Jul 6, 13 at 9:03

She looks very content, Marj! That's a good photo.

I think it's just the one baby in my nest. And oddly enough, I never see Mom or Dad in there with Junior, or even nearby. I guess they're out grocery shopping?

:)

Well, this morning, I saw an egg on the deck just below the nest. I'm guessing mom or dad were doing some housecleaning (nestcleaning?) as Junior keeps growing bigger.

We have 2 baby birds! Think the just hatched today or yesterday. My daughter and I set up the tripod next to the window and caught a few pics - a bit hard to get as the leaves kept getting in the way and they are so tiny and hard to see in the shadows. They are so cute and funny looking all at the same time!

And here's a pic of mama, or papa, bringing them some food:

How's your young bird doing b2?

Marj

This post was edited by mstywoods on Thu, Jul 25, 13 at 19:28

So I saw the papa bird this morning, and now am sure what we have are House Finches. The papa has rosy forhead and chest, and the mama is all brown. One of the pics we took early that showed some red I thought was just some type of reflection that made it look that way, but this morning I definitely saw the red on it :)

Here are a couple more pics I took yesterday - babies getting a bit bigger. Guess they'll be big enough to leave the next in less than 2 weeks!

Mama:

Marj, House Finches are wonderful birds. At least, I think so.

I was just going to talk completely off of the top of my head about them but that little bit of information you linked to made me wonder if I was incorrect in some of my notions.

I knew that they had been introduced into New York but thought it was a long time before 1940. By that date, surely their locations in the West would have been known and mapped. I am curious to know where they were in the West, pre-1940. Here is what I thought:

The house finch was a resident of northern Mexico and the river valleys of the Southwest. The arid climate limited their range until the birds were carried east. Finding that they are comfortable living close to humans, they have begun to migrate throughout the connected towns and cities. So, the House Finch, after being introduced into New York, has migrated both south and north and headed west again.

Outside of the communities, these birds would not survive a crossing of what is sometimes called The Great American Desert. They are native American birds but have benefited and partnered with us in our human migration.

They are also one of the few birds that do not feed insects to their young. So, a House Finch may not be the best garden companion but isn't really a pest either. Colorful and with a lovely song - not a bad choice for a neighbor.

Steve

Thanks for more info on our little birds - very interesting!

They are getting bigger and may be learning how to fly in about a week, according to info on how long it normally takes from hatching to taking off on their own!

I finally heard them making peeping sounds this morning, as mom or pop was feeding them :)

Oh Marj!
Those are wonderful pictures of your finches in their nest!
Are the babies still in the nest?

I've had finches nesting on my front porch too. They usually use the safe protected spot on top of a brick pillar. The view below is of a homemade wind chime that is also on the front porch, not far from the pillar... I think of it as the front porch bird nest "annex". Photos are taken through a window in the living room.

Now, the continuing saga of the dove family above the back porch. :)
That baby did very well! It was very cute as it was learning to fly, and eventually grew big enough to go off on its own.

For a while nothing happened in the tree, but now, would you believe it, the mom and dad are back! I guess they have laid a couple of more eggs. But, I just don't know... either their nesting instincts aren't very good, or they're just sloppy parents, but they didn't refurbish their nest at all! It looks like it's only about 6 little measly twigs, just barely hanging there in the crook of a branch.

It doesn't seem nearly as substantial as the first nest, and that one lost 2 eggs to a windy rain storm. I'll try to get updated pictures this week.

I'm lovin' ALL your pics, guys! Keep 'em coming!

Skybird

I took these photos this morning... couldn't get momma to pose though.

I think Dad is trying to fortify the nest. (Maybe he read my post last night?) I saw him flying in with a twig, and I noticed some little twigs on the deck this morning.

This post was edited by b2alicia on Wed, Aug 7, 13 at 12:53

My computer acting weird.sorry

This post was edited by b2alicia on Wed, Aug 7, 13 at 12:56

I took these photos this morning... couldn't get momma to pose though.

If you click on the photo, then on the circle in bottom right corner, you'll see how unsubstantial that nest is! How can she expect to keep her eggs safe??

I think Dad is trying to fortify the nest. (Maybe he read my post last night?) I saw him flying in with a twig, and I noticed some little twigs on the deck this morning.

I took these photos this morning... couldn't get momma to pose though.

If you click on the photo, then on the circle in bottom right corner, you'll see how unsubstantial that nest is! How can she expect to keep her eggs safe??

I think Dad is trying to fortify the nest. (Maybe he read my post last night?) I saw him flying in with a twig, and I noticed some little twigs on the deck this morning.

I took these photos this morning... couldn't get momma to pose though.

If you click on the photo, then on the circle in bottom right corner, you'll see how unsubstantial that nest is! How can she expect to keep her eggs safe??

I think Dad is trying to fortify the nest. (Maybe he read my post last night?) I saw him flying in with a twig, and I noticed some little twigs on the deck this morning.

Wow,that nest the doves made sure DOES look flimsy b2!! I agree - those birds must be novices or lazy :^D Maybe they'll add to it this time and make it better. That is cool that they are nesting in it again, and so soon!

I haven't seen our birds back since Monday. I opened the blinds that morning and one of the babies was perched on the very edge of the nest - he looked like he was getting way too big to fit in it comfortably, especially with a sibling to share it with. So sometime during the day, they must have taken off on their own as I haven't seen them in there since. Kinda miss the little guys!! But now I can get back to controlling my Wisteria again - it was getting pretty unruly as I didn't want to scare them by messing with it while they were nesting. I'll leave their nest in there till next spring, just in case they decide to use it again.

I love that the finches nested in your windchime, b2! How funny!! You got a great pic of them in there - and a great view of them from you window :)

Here is a video of an olde guy in England and his Collared Doves. You can easily see the squared-off tails with all the white on them. For me, that's a good identifier for these birds.

He has some things to say about them but I can't hear well enuf to know what it is. Just a guy and his bird friends . . .

Now about the birds this olde guy has seen in his garden! I was out in the dahlias Saturday and frightened a Mountain Plover out of them! This garden is probably a mile from open water (unless you count some swimming pools ;o). It certainly isn't out in the open. There are not only houses and other buildings around but quite a few trees. I've never seen a plover in my gardens! Kildeer but not shorebirds. . .

Aaannd! There is a family of hawks near this garden! Not too unusual but this is quite an urban setting and I can't identify the species. I've always thought of the most-likely hawks to be seen as being Sharp-shinned but these guys are smaller. Not as small as Merlins and with an Accipiter look to them . . . so, I'm kind of at a loss . . . (noisy critters, too :o)!

Steve

Here is a link that might be useful: A few facts about wild Doves,(Streptopelia Decaocto) UK

Oh! And, here is a little about "FeederWatchers track the spread of Eurasian Collared-Doves."

Here is a link that might be useful: FeederWatchers track the spread of Eurasian Collared-Doves

Wow Steve, he really has them tamed.

I don't think any birds would get very close to me, with my big standard poodle nearby!