The second hatching of the Collared Doves nesting next to my bedroom window produced two more chicks and this time, being August and school holiday, I was able to watch them during the day instead of early morning and late afternoon only. The result is that I have more opportunity to watch them feed, grow and interact with each other and their parents.
I have learned that the chicks are fed by the mother mostly but the father also lends a hand with both chicks 'beaking' the parent for regurgitated food, a whitish fluid with seed and other matter mixed in. Revolting really but dinner is dinner. When the chicks are nearly ready to fly the parents call them - in this case from the power pole a few metres away on the sidewalk and from above on the roof - watching out for intruders. The male will attack an intruder with almost suicidal efforts. I have seen Magpies - sometimes two at a time - and Woodpigeons chased away by this male who is slightly smaller than his female mate - suggesting that she is feeding at a prodigious rate or he is spending mush of his time on sentry-go.
For the last two days (22 August - 23 August 2011) the chicks have been restless, stretching their wings and looking alert. I think they see me behind the window and the camera but as yet they have little fear although I do not disturb them much.
As with the first hatching there is one stronger chick who suddenly took off landing on the active TV ariel (shown in the picture) a short flight of about a metre. It looked pleased with itself and sat on the aluminium and plastic frame looking at its new horizons.
It looked at me curiously I took its picture and a few moments later took off to join its parents. (top picture) From then on all was chaos. It nearly fell off the cable it aimed for, wobbled, righted itself and fought for balance getting used to the new experience. It watched its parents fly whilst its sibling, much smaller, remained in the nest to be fed by Mum. Note the well formed feathers on the bird who I shall call Horace and the rain dripping from the TV ariel. Raining and a need for dry skin to keep warm for Horace has yet to learn to feed himself.
Horace flitted a little and then, stupidly, flew directly for my window in an attempt to land on the crossbar but fell off. I rushed outside expecting to see a stunned bird but Horace was sitting on a neighbour's hedge. His parents flew to his aid and kept watch. Next, the little twit was on the ground waddling but Dad was there showing him what to do.
Meanwhile the female had flown to the nest and was feeding the other bird. Horace decided he wanted some food and managed to fly up to near the nest. Unfortunately there was a grille in the way and with his head stuck through it, wings flapping he was once more off balance and flopped to the deck. Dad followed him down and helped him fly up again.
The next time he flew he missed the ariel altogether and flopped down onto a wall and for about a couple of hours or more sat wedged between the wall and the power pole with Mum and Dad trying to encourage him up.
I thought about cats but they did not see him. Eventually when I looked in on his sibling there was Horace on the nest having made it back up again. The two young ones nuzzled up to roost. One daft bird watcher rests easy.