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The turtle doves are being wonderful parents, taking turns on the nest although they often seem reluctant to leave the precious eggs to the other. I read that the female typically sits during the day and the male takes over during the night with a quick, possibly unnoticeable, switch. It’s very difficult to tell them apart although the male is supposed to have iridescent feathers on their necks. Guess I’ll have to take a closer look.
Typically doves lay only two eggs, yet Don and Angie are sitting on 4 eggs. I hope these young first-time parents can handle quadruplets if they all make it. Incubation takes from 13-19 days so we may see the first hatch about the middle of next week.
17 comments:
Wow, what eager little things. I hope they do well with their new family! Thats a lot of mouths to feed for their first time. =) I hope you and the doves are having a beautiful 2010 so far!
When did you get these birds? did I miss something? Don and Angie. Cute.
How beautiful that is...I hope they all survive...lovely capture, Gaelyn.
Wow, that is cool.
Way cool G!
Craig
New life, new year...great way to start this decade!
When I read the caption of your post, I thought, is Gaelyn jumping to Easter already?:) But now I understand...the eggs are a wonderful symbol of a new year birthing!
What better way to start the new year than with Love and Family? Thanks for this, Gaelyn.
Name tags, Gaelyn, name tags! Or, for a teacher who could never remember student names without a seating plan... :-)
They are lovely!
What if? ... Oh perish the thought ... they are both females???, and gay is good couples are now taking over the bird world as well?
Have a great new year my dear and stay warm...
Whether it turns out to be Don or Dawn and Angie, they are a cute couple. And they look peaceful sitting on the nest. :)
this will be fun to watch. Happy New Year and I wish you many good photos in 2010!
Two Turtle Doves and where's the Partridge in the Pear tree? Too late--Christmas is over.
Let's hope at least 2 eggs make it. MB
Aren't they beautiful!
Hi Gaelyn, is it still so cold in your area? What do the parents feed their baby birds?
We have a pair of collared doves who inhabit the garden-they have the same half-collar on the back of their necks so perhaps they are the same...I like the name Turtle Doves so much better. They build a nest and breed each year and share the food station with all the myriad of birds we feed, from Sparrows, chaffinches and the quarrelsome Starlings without once losing their tempers. Lovely.
Happy New Year, darlin'
Gaelyn: Really nice shots of the parents. I want to see the babies.
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