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Post by mickster on Aug 21, 2006 19:03:45 GMT -5
I told ya'll about the pair of doves who live here on my property that are so old they can no longer produce? Well, it's so sad. She is losing strength and can no longer fly away. She has been laying in one of the parking areas for a couple days now with her little head down, simply weak and helpless. I've been watching her from the window in my office. Earlier I went out and collected the mail and she didn't move at all, normally she would have flown away. It concerns me that a hawk may come and attack her. I want to gather her little body and bury it but must wait until she has expired so she won't try to fly away. I will keep an eye on her. She has become something I care about.
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Post by allezcuisine on Aug 22, 2006 8:23:40 GMT -5
Awww. Poor thing. Maybe you should bring her to a vet. (Her wing mite be broken.) Let us know what happens, Mick.
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Post by Arrianna on Aug 22, 2006 14:44:28 GMT -5
Or at least call a vet about what to do. Either way that's hard.
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Post by mickster on Aug 22, 2006 17:40:57 GMT -5
Yes, it is hard but it's natures way. Poor baby is dying of old age and I need to let it happen but I hope I can find her little body and bury her instead of letting an animal or something eat her. That would be sad. She was here earlier but now gone, maybe under the bushes. I'm going to go out and look around.
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Post by missteetheironchef on Aug 23, 2006 11:00:43 GMT -5
I love doves. They provide peace.
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Post by mickster on Aug 23, 2006 11:10:23 GMT -5
Well, I think she is gone. He is out in the trees crying (mourning). I'm going to mow the lawns today and will look all over for her little body. It may be around here somewhere, if an animal didn't find it first.
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Post by allezcuisine on Aug 23, 2006 13:25:12 GMT -5
Poor thing. I hope you find her, Mick.
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Post by mickster on Aug 23, 2006 13:47:17 GMT -5
I found her, and in the most surprising place. She is on the enclosed patio and she is pacing, back and forth, back and forth, just pacing. I'm wondering if she is full of eggs instead of sick. Doves usually have a nest but sometimes they don't. There is a high chicken wire type fence around the pation at the bottom of the steps leading to the porch outside my front door. If anything happens to her, or she drops eggs, the racoon, coyote and squirrels cannot get to them, but the birds certainly can. I don't know what to do if she drops eggs, call a vet I guess, or hope to goodness she sits on them until they hatch. OHMYGOSH, I'm really getting nervous now. She just keeps pacing back and forth. Her mate is nowhere to be found, isn't that just like a man, LOL
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Post by Man Alive! on Aug 23, 2006 15:56:04 GMT -5
Mickster, do you have a wild bird center near your home? I had a small bird break a wing in my yard once, and my neighbor's cat kept stalking it. So, I took it to this place, and they nursed it back to health. You could call them and ask about it's behavior anyway.
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Post by mickster on Aug 23, 2006 16:09:07 GMT -5
There is a vet nearby who takes care of wild type animals, bunnies, racoons, skunks, etc., and wild birds. I may call her. Dove was on the patio and I was watching her pacing when I saw something moving on the other side of the fence, then it tried to get through the small holes in the fence so I went out, slowly, to the patio to see what it was. Mama dove walked to the farthest point from me but didn't fly away. I went to the back part of the patio and looked over the fence. Behold, a young dove, apparently trying to get to mama. She wants nothing to do with it, guess she wants it to get out on it's own, if it's hers. Anyway then she flew up into the pine tree which is right next to the patio and young dove ran off in the opposite direction, did not fly. That was about an hour ago, now mama dove is back on the patio, walking around, nibbling stuff on the ground. She may just be hanging around in case young dove gets into real trouble. But I still wonder why she is so lithargic.
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Post by mickster on Aug 24, 2006 10:41:48 GMT -5
Surprise! Goodness, all sorts of surprises in the (wild animal) world. Big dove is the papa. Mama must of been caught by something, but is gone, no more to be seen. Young dove is offsprig , and male doves don't make the best parents, they make wonderful husbands. Papa dove is standing by but not feeding young dove. Wants young dove to be on it's own. All this according to lady vet I called. Oh, papa is lazy until he finds a new mate. He is probably waiting for a lady dove to begin calling. Anyway, the two of them, papa and junior, hang around the house here, and just sit for hours. It's been very hot here, so they probably don't feel like working outside anymore than the rest of us.
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Post by Arrianna on Aug 24, 2006 12:28:43 GMT -5
I wish him well then. Sounds like you've had quite the drama.
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Post by mickster on Aug 24, 2006 13:29:50 GMT -5
LOL. Yep, it's been quite a learning experience....LOL I'm happy the mystery is solved.
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Post by allezcuisine on Aug 24, 2006 15:24:02 GMT -5
That's just great, Mick! How about giving him a name?
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Post by mickster on Aug 24, 2006 18:21:08 GMT -5
It's after 4 p.m. He has been sitting in the same spot all day, doesn't go anywhere, doesn't seem to be eating. Do you think he has a broken heart? They were together for many, many years. I'd always see them walking around the yard, sitting together in the trees, never apart. I think he really misses her. What do you think would be a good name for him, AC?
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