Where do you go to my lovelies?

6th June '09

The doves all fly away at night, or rather they come and go during the day and I didn't really know where they spent their nights and time away from here. Now I've found out!

The very night that Victory and Purity celebrated their 9 week old birthday they didn't come back to sleep in the dovecote. Big doves now! They decided to be in with the in crowd and go off with the rest of the flock, leaving a sad me and an empty dovecote. They are now over 11 weeks old, and I see them at feeding times, or when they choose to spend time in the garden.

Purity, left, and Victory searching for grains on the lawn


Purity and Victory often stay together when they are eating

Playing hide and seek round the pots!

And Victory looks up at the pot thinking 'I wonder if there is something yummy in there?' I have already had to move a pink as the doves kept pecking off the buds.

We went to a BBQ at a local farm recently. My husband had often mentioned that the farmer had a lot of doves in his barn and that maybe they were mine, but I didn't really think about it as I assumed my doves spent their nights on a much nearer farm. At the BBQ, as the sun started to go down, the farmer pointed to the sky and said 'They're coming in now' and I could see a flock of white doves flying over the fields. It's a beautiful sight on a warm tranquil evening. Of course I hadn't got my camera with me! I asked the farmer to take me to see where the doves were roosting, and whilst we walked round he told me that, initially, he had tried to prevent the doves getting in the barn by putting up wire, shutting doors etc but they always got in and now he doesn't bother. 'They make a mess' he said cheerfully 'But so do the horses!' He also said that despite the mess, he likes them, so it looks like they have a home for life!

As soon as we got to the barn - which is actually a metal building erected to use as an indoor schooling area for ponies, with sand on the ground, I saw Nero sitting outside. There is no way that I could mistake him as he has such distinctive dark colouring and orange and green rings. 'That's my Nero!' I gasped. I hadn't really believed til then that the doves would fly so far, though actually it's only about 10 minutes in the car down lanes, and probably quicker cross country as the doves fly. 'No, he's my Nero!' joked the farmer. 'You don't feed him' I teased 'He's mine!' ... 'Ah,' said the farmer 'But I give him lodging, and all his mates too!'

This is Nero - on my lawn. He really is MY Nero, as Bob Friar gave him to me!

Initally, when he was trying to keep the doves out of the barn, the farmer had kindly made them a wall dovecote and stuck in on the outside. Of course they don't use it! They much prefer the sheltered warm accomodation inside, with lots of roosting space and a soft landing for their babies when they fledge.

I took a camera up another day, and took some photos, but couldn't see Nero or any other of my ringed doves.

The barn in the distance, doves in the field, and close up with doves on the roof.

The wall cote that the farmer put up and the doves ignore, and inside, a dove searching for sticks on the sandy floor. I watched it collecting little twigs, and flying up to give them to the female in the nest.

Doves in the rafters, and one on her messy nest - sorry I couldn't get a better photo of this.

Two friends visit a nest, and another two, cosy together - this was the one where the male was collecting the sticks. I counted five nests in the barn.

Enlarge this photo by clicking on it and see how many doves you can see - there are more than you think! The second photo is a dove in my garden.

So, I'm happy that my lovely dovies have a safe home and that, at last, I know where they really do go at night.The end (you may have to scroll down for the comments section).

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Victory and Purity 8 weeks old

Wed. 20.5.09 - In fact they will be 9 weeks old tomorrow!

This may be the last close portrait I can get of them together. Victory has the pink ring, Purity the purple.

They are still returning to the dovecote at night, but stopped sleeping in the same nest box at about 6-7 weeks.Since Silver, no other dove has invaded their territory, thank goodness.

Purity's Godmother, the blogger Elizabethd, alerted me to a lovely giveaway on her friend's blog - please do have a look at this lovely and different china http://ramblingsfromanenglishgarden.blogspot.com/

The end.

The Crippled Dove and why he had to go

My husband dubbed the dove with the crippled foot who had taken over the dovecote, Long John Silver. Silver for short. I wasn't too happy he had jumped in there almost immediately the babies had fledged, but as long as he left them alone I didn't mind too much and hoped he would find a mate.

Although Silver spent much time bowing up and down in male dove courting fashion (even when alone) none of the females seemed interested in him. He didn't spend nights in the dovecote, just part of each day. He would fly here in the morning and re-establish his claim, either sitting smugly in the nesting box or blocking one of the entrances. Later, he would join the others, and there seems to be a little flock of 5 to 15 doves within the larger flock who spend all day here, which is really lovely as I enjoy seeing them on the roof.

In the early evenings about 6 - 7 pm when the doves start thinking about going back to their night time roosts, Silver would go back to the nest box. And of course so would my 7 week old squabs, Victory and Purity, as they were born there. Silver wasn't allowing them in their orginal nest box but they both packed in together in one of the others and seemed content enough. I wasn't happy about Silver - the last thing I wanted was another crusty old bachelor dove in the cote, like John had been after Lily died.

Victory and Purity, in together, and nervous about what Silver would do next.

As the days went on Silver got more aggressive. He would settle himself in the nestbox and then keep popping out to see where the babies where. One evening, strangely, he blocked the entrance while the two young birds were inside. Other times he would force them out of whichever part of the dovecote they had attempted to settle in. But every night by 8pm at the latest he had flown off and away and they could sleep in peace.

Sunday 10th May, and I had had a stressful two weeks with my daughter in and out of hospital and wasn't in the mood for any dovie trouble. Silver kept harrassing the babies; routing them out of wherever they were hiding in the dovecote and forcing them to fly back to the roof. Then he'd settle himself, and they'd sneak in at the back, and after a while he'd do it again. Obviously he wasn't going to allow them to live there and it was past 8pm and he showed no sign of leaving. I couldn't stand it and went out and trapped him in the nestbox by blocking it with my hand. Then I removed him to a secure box (with food and water).

I rang my sister, a sensible retired farmer's wife, and she said that she felt it was unlikely Silver would find a mate this late in the season or indeed ever, especially with a crippled foot. Doves. like all animals, are aware when something is wrong with one of their number. She also confirmed what I was feeling - that the young birds, Victory and Purity, are my hope for having a few doves living in my dovecote permanently and that Silver wasn't going to help matters to say the least.

I made up my mind, and although I felt worse than when I'd got rid of the devil dove (see previous blogs) I still felt I was doing the right thing. Without going into details, my husband despatched the crippled dove the next day as quickly and humanely as possible. I really wish this hadn't been necessary.

I cleaned out the nestbox Silver had been using. This was easier than before as I had taken the hint (don't know where I read it) to line the inside of the box with a folded over sheet of newspaper with a bit of hay on top. The fouled newspaper came out relatively easily.... and straight into a plastic bag to be disposed of! Then I relined with more paper, and hay. When no doves are actually rearing babies I check the boxes and clean if necessary about once a month. When I got the cote the makers Kootensaw Dovecotes http://www.dovecotes.co.uk/ suggested that once a year would be adequate! Believe me, pigeon/dove poo sets like concrete and you wouldn't want to be cleaning out a year's worth. Also I want to keep the doves as healthy as possible and roosting every night in a pile of poo is not very hygienic!

11th May - I wondered whether Victory and Purity would settle in the dovecote or whether the harrassment from last night might have put them off. They were both in the cote by 8pm and did spend a bit of time popping from box to box, and peeking out craning their necks around, obviously wondering if they were about to be hounded out each time they settled. They didn't stay together, but in two different sections, but they did stay, thank goodness.

Victory (left, pink ring) and Purity (purple) on the island wall.

A quick update on the general flock - The only other ringed doves I am seeing are Nero, shown here with a big neck in courting mode. I love the purple colour of his neck feathers. And Sweetie, who I caught and ringed last summer. There are another pair of young doves, seemingly about the same age as Victory and Purity and I think they were the ones born in the barn. I went to the barn one evening and they were there, alone, and babies always go back to the place they were hatched, unless for some reason they are not able to, or are hounded away by other older doves, as Silver was trying to do to Victory and Purity.

The end.

The Doves at Amberley Castle

We went to Amberley Castle in West Sussex for one night for our wedding anniversary in April. My own squabs, Victory and Purity, were just flying and finding food for their own so I wasn't too worried about them. I knew from their website http://www.amberleycastle.co.uk/ that Amberley had white doves and was looking forward to seeing them. (More about our visit to Amberley with my photos on my usual blog if you are interested http://faithsdoves.blogspot.com/ Although it's called 'faith's doves' it's not my dove blog!!!

We were so fortunate to have one day of gorgeous, almost summer, weather.

The castle has been a hotel for 20 years. I don't know when the doves were introduced or when the dovecote was erected, but imagine they have been there for some while, as there were a fair number of them and they all seemed mightily at home! They do use the dovecote

But also shelter and nest in the nooks and crannies of the old castle walls. You can just see one peeking out in the photo below.

Some of these holes were the places were the original beams slotted in, see below, and make ideal nesting sites for doves. I put my arm in a lower one at the front of the castle and it went in to the elbow - that's plenty of room to make a good nest! I didn't see any squabs but knew they were somewhere around as I could hear their high-pitched squeaking.

At night, the old stone wall was studded with white pom poms, and they looked so endearing, but I just couldn't get a good photo. If you click on the picture, it should enlarge and you can see three doves in the rounded wall (turret) at the side of the portcullis.

The gardens were beautiful and, for me, the pure white doves, cooing gently and fluttering about added to the loveliness. As did the white peacock

I spoke to the lady gardener who, with one other, looks after the gardens entirely alone. She said that they feed the peacock (and the peahen who was currently kept penned up as she keeps escaping) but do not feed the doves. The doves rob a bit of food from the peafowl but otherwise find their food in the nearby fields. I wondered how they got on when we had all that snow - there wouldn't have been much natural food around then! But I suppose it keeps the numbers down, as does the sparrowhawk which the gardener said was also around.

Doves on the battlements
And on the window above the portcullis

They have a truly delightful home! This was taken early in the morning before the hotel guests were around.

The end. (double clicking should enlarge the photos)

Two little dickey birds

Started blog Tuesday 28.4.09

Continued Tuesday 5.5.09

The very day before we were due to go away, Purity at last joined Victory by managing to fly to the roof.

I had been out and come home to find Victory on the roof with Hope and some other doves. I checked Purity and found her sitting comfortably well into the nestbox, not peeking out and with obviously no intention of disturbing herself. I felt it was a good opportunity to get her out, so she could see the others and maybe join them. I was desperate for both babies to be fully independent before we went away - able to fly, and find food with the flock.

I put her gently on the ground and she pecked a few grains, then hopped up on the 'nursery' branch and looked around. Mustering her strength, she managed to get herself airbourne and flew in a scrambling way to the low adjacent roof.

Here, Purity, low right, walks up the roof to Hope and Victory.

After a short while, the doves took off to the island to feed and Victory went with them. He flew strongly and surely, thank goodness, as I didn't want him to tire and land in the river. Joking apart, the water flows very fast there and he wouldn't have a chance. Purity waited on the roof, and when they all returned, she joined in with them.

Victory and Purity on the roof with the others, far right. They are still smaller than the fully grown doves.

In the afternoon, I saw Hope feed them on the hedge.

Wed. 29th - the day we were going away. The babies had spent the night in the cote as usual and I was up in time to see them with Hope on the hedge, but I don't think she fed them.

Later, they both flew to the roof with her, and at some point after that, a dove - Hope? Pascoe? another dove? flew to the dovecote and blocked the entrance to the babies' nestbox. Victory tried to get back in, but the dove prevented him. I suppose this dove, whoever it is, has earmarked the nest box for itself. The minute they were fledged it was in there! I only hope it allows Victory and Purity to spend the night in another part of the cote, or that they go with Hope and are safe.

Later when this mystery dove had disappeared, I had a peep in the nestbox - nothing there, but Victory was in one of the other compartments, and, I think, alone. I must just resign myself to leaving my babies' fate to nature. Obviously I would like more eggs in the dovecote, but would've preferred Victory and Purity to carry on living there, and eventually rear their own babies there.

Tuesday 5.5.09

We came home late Sunday evening 3rd May 09. It was dark so no doves around on the roof of course. The new dove was in residence in the old nesting box, but I was pleased to see at least one baby was in one of the other compartments of the dovecote at the back. When I fed the doves early the next morning, I was pleased to see both babies flew to the island with the rest of the flock. They are tentative about feeding, and still only manage the smaller sized grains, but are coping well. They are smaller and more delicate than fully grown birds, and still are not fully feathered under their wings.

Later, on the roof, and sitting together as they still like to do, I captured an amusing picture of them.

The mystery dove who has taken over Victory and Purity's old nest box has proved to be a male, and he is the one with the crippled foot that I have seen all winter and spring. He doesn't appear to have a mate, but spends time on the top of the dovecote, bowing and scraping in male courting fashion. I hope, despite his foot, that he will find a mate so we can have more eggs. I haven't named him yet - he is an attractive dove, despite his foot, as he has a fan-tail. He may not be a full fantail white dove, but has definitely got the genes! I suppose one good thing about him is that I recognise him by his foot! Hope has now gone back to anonymity - the pink food colouring mark has faded away.

The end (you may have to scroll down a bit for the comments section)

Victory Flies!

Tuesday 28th April 09

If you want to read about the Dove Naming Competition it is in the blog below this one.

Hope didn't feed the squabs, Victory and Purity, for the first time on the evening of Wed. 22nd when they were 35 days old (I go on Victory's age, Purity is a day younger). She did feed them on the Thurs evening but not again since in the evenings. I have seen her feed them during the day, but ONLY if they come out onto the hedge. She won't feed them in the nestbox. Of course this is her way of getting them out and making them independent. When she didn't feed them in the evenings, I got them out of the nestbox when she'd gone away and put them on the ground with small grains - and they fed themselves! From approx. 39 days, they could put themselves to bed, by short flights from the ground, to the stump, to the hedge and then into the nestbox. I was relieved when they could do this as it made them so much safer.

I sneak up on the babies to see if they are actually feeding, and to take a photo.

In case you wonder why I note the dates and how many days old the babies are all the time, it is so I know what is roughly to be expected next time that I have any squabs, and can hopefully worry less about what is normal!

Not a very good photo, but shows the feeding tussle in the hedge. The babies try to get to Hope's beak - sometimes she refuses, sometimes she gives in.


One baby, probably Victory, with Hope. There is not much size difference now - the baby is on the right. When you see them in reality, though, the babies are much more delicate and still have yellow down on their heads.This photo was taken at 40 days old.

I obviously had to make a decision not to keeping removing them from the nestbox at night and bringing them into the house. The first night I thought I might do it, I checked the temperature and it had dropped very low, so decided against it. The next night (39 days old) it was mild, so I left them and I didn't even worry about them, but was up at 6.30 am to see if they were ok. I just caught Hope on the hedge trying to entice them out. She has been a brilliant mother to these fatherless squabs. The info I've read says that many lone pigeon parents will chuck one squab out of the nest if the other parent dies when the babies are very small as they can only cope with feeding one baby on their own.

Monday 27th April and again I was up early, to feed the flock and check the babies. Hope had both babies out on the hedge with her. I pottered about in the garden changing the doves bath water and checking on the plants. Suddenly there was a flutter of wings and a small dove almost touched my head as he flew past - it was Victory! He'd found his wings and landed on the main roof of the house (not as high as some houses as our 'cottage' is a bungalow).

He seemed to look around in amazement! Wow, up so high! and proud of his achievement.

Then walked along the top of the roof to where the other doves were. Young birds are likely to get 'picked on' by older birds. There is definitely a pecking order in all flocks, large or small. But I hope if Victory and Purity stay close to the dovecote they will not interfere with any other dove's arrangements and therefore stay out of trouble. I often wonder what happened to poor little Smudge - (see previous blogs) She/he was only a squab really and probably couldn't cope with the new environment.

By 7.30 am that morning Victory had flown away with Hope and the others and I wondered if I would ever see him again. Poor little Purity was left on the ground on her own.

She soon put herself back in the nest box where she feels safe.

I felt a little bit sad, but later on when I got up on the steps to check if Purity was in the nestbox and ok, I found Victory cuddled up beside her! Ah, what a nice big brother he is! (I call Victory 'he' and Purity 'she', but no idea what sex they are. It is extremely difficult to sex pigeons until they are older and display male/female behaviour).

In the afternoon, Victory came out onto the lower roof adjacent to the dovecote with Hope and Pascoe.

Here he is, top right - you can just see the pink ring.

And again, with mummy Hope. Her pink food colouring mark has entirely gone now, and I only recognise her by her feathered legs and attention to the squabs.

Purity hasn't caught up yet, but of course she is a day behind in development. Today is Tuesday and we go away for one night tomorrow. Back again on Thursday, but for one night only before going away for three full days. I must leave the babies to Hope!

The end (you may have to scroll down a bit for the comments section).