Ron Klowden's Birding Photos
Ron's bird photos taken in Ballantrae

"Our Dove Experience"
We have a Dove nesting in our covered entry

I'm making a photographic journal of the
entire experience from nest building to hatching
and hopefully more... Great fun!

Momma sitting on her nest (7/21/15) It took a pair of Doves about two days to gather twigs and weave an amazing little nest.	Eggs in Nest (7/26/15) That did not take long....
I found this partial shell discarded below the nest (8/8/15)	We have a Hatchling, other egg still intact (8/8/15)
If you look carefully, you can see the Dove on the nest in the lower right corner of the window above the doors. This is how I get the photos!	Both Nestlings doing well - (8/15/15)
It is getting crowded in the nest so.. I think I'll just sit outside (8/17/15)	No wonder it's crowded... These doves have almost outgrown the nest and are developing feathers. (8/18/15)
One of the baby Doves is being nudged out of the nest (8/19/15)	And... this morning there was only one! I saw adult activity on the ground near the nest and when I approached the adult dove made the "wounded bird" act to draw me away from the baby on the ground, which I never saw... I hope it's OK... (8/20/15)
This morning I looked out to our entryway sidewalk and... there was Momma or Pappa Dove standing guard. (8/21/15)	Look what I found, nestling in the base of a palm tree right outside our dining room window... the 1st dove that left the nest... alive and well! (8/21/15)
And... The other Baby is still in the nest, lookin' good! (8/21/15)	This morning we are "Empty Nesters" (8/22/15)
Same day at dusk, I looked out of our front door and both babies were now together (8/22/15)	I sneaked outside and took this flash illuminated photo. I'm going to have a hard time sleeping, wondering if they will both be OK. (8/22/15)
First thing this morning I looked for our babies.. There they were! (8/23/15)	This one was #1 to leave the nest and it still has a few pin-feathers. (8/23/15)
And last, but not least, is the #2 to leave the nest. This one is almostfully fledged and has the markings of a larger bird... (8/23/15)	We feel sad that this story may end now but very happy to have had one last encounter. We glanced out of the window a few moments ago and both birds were being fed by an adult. I went outside to get a beter photo and... one of the Babies actually flew away! Our little ones are all grown up! But... they are still hanging around our Entryway garden and I'm still having fun shooting photos. I'm hoping to catch one of the parents feeding them but.. They can both fly and are a bit skittish.