Collared doves nesting in little Holly tree

I am so excited because just 15ft from the garden patio door is a single stemmed pompom little holly tree. I have been watching a pair of collared doves build a scruffy nest in the middle, they have visited it many times over the last couple of weeks and one stayed in it overnight last night! I expect it was her. When she alighted and flew off for a brief spell, I've got the binoculars and I can see one white egg in the nest. I am viewing from inside the kitchen and she is cooing alot and the other dove comes back from time to time. I don't want to disturb them but I have to go out there to the GH and this week end, we've got to plant a rose in a container and will therefore be very near. NO pets or children here but all manner of other birds that may take a keen interest, like me, on developments. I will try to get my husband to take a picture with his telephoto lens over the weekend . It is helping to cheer up an otherwise grey Saturday.

 

Great news they are attractive birds although not everyone welcomes them.
Our Robins have been absent for a while but this morning a young one arrived, all spotty and brown, obviously raise one brood already.

 

They are not too bothered about people, we had a nest in the hedge a few years back at eye level, the babies just used to look at me, not bothered at all.

 

Thanks Ziggy. She don't half look fed up tonight, but I think she is high and dry. Been raining all day and it's as cold as charity out there,

 

Oh dear,
she was still there this morning but flew off in the end. I did not see her return and we went out to lunch. No sign of this a bird this afternoon and an eggshell broken below this very flimsy nest. Did the wind blew it out, or something took it or did she push it out herself as she was too cold? I have a feeling of sadness as I was looking forward to time with this new aspect of our little garden. It's pretty tough out there.....
Jenny namaste

 

That's a shame if they have deserted but they will have another brood.

 

Did the shell have egg in it?

 

Clean as a whistle Ziggy

 

Its hatched out then, most birds take the shells away from the nest to avoid predators, but Doves (and Pigeons) are a bit thick.

 

She only laid it on Friday!! I think the thought of motherhood (no more gilrie nights out) just took over and she did a runner....

 

Oh, that sounds a bit too soon then

 

If the nest is quite low, a cat may have frightened them off. Doves like Wood Pigeons haven't got a lot of common sense when it comes to nest building.