Rhett and Scarlett are at it again. These are two mourning doves who have made themselves at home in our back yard. Only an hour or so after Den moved our Norfolk Island Pine tree from the house to right outside the back door ( and I mean right outside -- hardly a foot away), two mourning doves were busy making a nest. This was back in May. Within a few weeks we had two baby mourning doves trying to get up enough courage to fly from that nest. For two or three days, our back yard was their world and we would have to watch when we let the dog outside so he wouldn't catch any little birds. We also didn't want him to be dive bombed by Rhett or Scarlett if they thought their babies were in jeopardy.
Within two days of the time the first set of babies went out on their own, Scarlett was again sitting on the nest. To give him his due, Rhett did change places with her every morning, so she could exercise her wings. By the end of June, this second set of babies had flown the nest, and our back yard. After doing some research, we thought that would be the end of Rhett and Scarlett as such close neighbors. But no, Scarlett is back on the nest, quietly waiting for Rhett to relieve her every once in a while. I am sure there are two more eggs in that nest, although I haven't actually seen them yet.
These birds don't seem at all afraid of us as we come and go through the back door. The nest is so close to the door, I could reach up and touch it as I come outside. I do hope this is the last family Scarlett and Rhett have this year. I would like to get my back yard-- fence, chairs, bench, fire pit -- cleaned up so that it stays clean for a while. In the meantime it has been interesting to have such different and well-mannered (mostly) neighbors.
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