PEI HOMESCHOOLERS TALK K-5: April 2011

Friday, April 29, 2011

Ring Neck Doves Photo Diary DAY 19

To see DAYS 1-18 click on links in Blog Archive in the right sidebar.

DAY 19 APRIL 29 2011
Mom is still bossy, and one baby is perching.
The Mom of the younger pair is starting to work on a new nest.

9:30 am.

Dad is sitting peacefully doing what he ought.

Guess who's coming to give Dad the old heave-ho!
(See yesterday's post.)

The older pair.

They are really filling up the feed dish now!

2:30 pm.

The older of the pair is getting very adventurous,

and has made it up on the perch beside his mother.

The feet become quite red in a mature bird.

You can see the difference in the beaks,

between the mother and the younger bird.

The younger pair - filling out.

This is the mother of the younger pair,
already beginning a new nest,
only 14 days after the first baby hatched.

There she is on the new nest.
She doesn't stay on it very long at a time,
but she will be back to it during the day.
As well, the father will do the same,
to build it and get it ready for the new eggs.

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Ring Neck Doves Photo Diary DAY 18

To see DAYS 1-17 click on links in Blog Archive in the right sidebar.

DAY 18 APRIL 28 2011

A very busy time, and Mom is in a bossy mood.

About 11:00 am.

Mom is trying to pull out a long piece of timothy hay

to add to her nest, but it won't come.

Dad is sitting on the nest, quite happily.

Mom is still pulling on the hay stem.

Nope, she won't give up.

I finally broke off the stem of hay so she could carry it to the nest,

where she carefully installed it.

Now she is making her way around to the

other side of the nest and Dad,

all concerned with the newly laid eggs.

Trying to see how to wiggle her way into the nest.

So she settles in beside Dad and starts to push him over,

to get at the eggs.

Looks like she is succeeding in the takeover bid.

Yep, pulling the eggs in under herself.

Hmm. What does Dad think about this?

Looks like he isn't going to argue about it.

Single-minded Mama.

Off Dad goes.

Getting settled.
At laying time the parents are more concerned over the new nest; the female may sit during the day as well at night
and the same goes for the male.

Now Dad is being chased by the half-grown babies

for more feeding.

They shake and flap their wings and make high pitched

squeaks to ask for food;

as they get older they chase the parents around to get more food.

First one....

.....then two together.

Dad is feeling a little bit harassed

and no where to go to chill out.

Mom chased him off the nest where he was sitting so peacefully,

and the half-grown babies are chasing him to be fed.

The younger pair with feathers filling out more.

Still napping often.

The parents of the younger pair, already working on another nest.
The younger babies were hatched April 15 and 16.
Nesting will take place more frequently
in the spring especially and the summer
as the laying of the eggs is stimulated by light -
that is, the lengthening daylight hours.