Early Signs Of The Coming Spring

Cooper's Hawk watching for prey

Even as winter's snow swirls through the air the first faint signs of a change of seasons can be found.

 

A stop at a local lake revealed that it will be some time until it will be open for returning waterfowl.  However the ice is thin as indicated by one area remaining open.  While at the lake I watched as a mature Bald Eagle soared over heard and listened as a red-bellied woodpecker drumming out its territorial call, a sign that spring is on the way.

 

Mourning Dove

 

 I heard my first mourning dove of the year cooing Friday evening and many more calling Saturday morning.

Mourning Doves feeding

 

Canada Geese

 

And a stop at a local wetland revealed some open water and a pair of Canada Geese.

 

Before leaving I observed a flock of mallards swoop in for a splash-down.  While Canada's and Mallards are residents the migratory waterfowl won't be long in arriving as they begin their journey to the more northern nesting grounds.

 

 

Mourning Dove

Although not bright and colorful like many other avian species the Mourning Dove's soft earth tone colors gives it a special beauty all of its own.  The doves becomes quite vocal at this time of year when their soft cooing is heard frequently during the predawn hours, a beautiful sound to greet the day. 

I was listening to a radio talk show recently when a lady called in wondering how to discourage doves from visiting her bird feeders.  The host recommended keeping the scattered seed cleaned up under the feeders as the dove prefers ground feeding to perching on feeders.  He also recommended a type of feeder that excludes large birds but allows smaller birds to get to the feed.  As the caller's conversation came to an end she noted that dove can really become a problem. 

It made me pause to wonder.  Why is she feeding birds?  Feeding wildlife is a choice and if the choice made is to feed then we should be willing to accept the critters that we attract. 

Mourning Dove Closeup and More

Another close up image from my feeder session using the pop-up blind came when a Mourning Dove lit on a nearby log.  Doves are ground feeders and will not perch on our naturalized feeders; perferring to forage on the seed that other birds have scattered on the ground.  Other species like the fox and white-throat sparrows share the doves preference for ground feeding making it more difficult to photograph them well as compared to the perching birds.

Birds are not the only critters to visit the feeders as can be seen here with one eye looking out of woodpecker hole.   

 To my knowledge the Pileated Woodpeckers are the only woodpecker species in our area who chisel rectangular holes. 

Wingshooting Doves

I remember back years ago when I tried hunting doves.  Hitting these fast flying lightweights with a shotgun was no easy task.

While photographing feeder birds this week the doves began landing nearby.  Always ready for a new photographic challange I began trying to capture them on the wing as they arrived.

This dove came in fast making a U turn then folding its wings as it plopped down in the meadow to begin feeding.  I thought hitting doves with a shotgun was difficult back in the day; it was nothing compared with trying to keep them in the viewfinder, maintain focus and capture a decent image.   

These images do not measure up to the quality I normally post here at Country Captures but considering the difficulty of the subject I felt it fitting to share what I have accomplished to date.  Getting a truly good image of a dove landing or taking flight remains an unrealized goal. 

Back to the Birds: Mourning Dove Close-up

The Mourning Dove poses for its portrait during a gentle spring rain

Love Birds: Mourning Dove

While trimming around my grape arbor last evening a dove flew from it towards our windbreak. It seemed to have some difficulty flying, landing on the ground a few feet short of the trees. Quickly is scurried across the open ground and hopped up into the low hanging branches.

Of course this was the mother attempting to draw my attention away from her nest. A closer examination of the grape vines revealed two young doves sitting upon the nest. I decided rather than to risk scaring the little doves from the saftey of their nest I would forgo the trimming until they leave the nest of their own accord.

I returned this evening, camera in hand to find the adult sitting with her brood watching my every move.

For “Love Birds” of a different type check out my son Chad’s blog