Post 209 Doves and doing

I spent a very quiet day catching up with a few jobs - changing a dental appointment so I can go to the Crewel Work Group at the Guild on Thursday, voting online for the Strata AGM this week and a couple of hours finishing the bit of genealogy research I had promised to do for my brother a week ago.

I also spent some time grappling with a problem I am having getting used to the Catalina operating system on my computer. I think I will need to get some help to get on top of it and easily access my files.
It was a cool, wet and squally day here.  Foolishly I did a load of washing. The lisianthus provided the note of cheer. I hope the weather didn't dampen the girls' birthday, especially their netball trials this evening.

Neither the weather nor building activity next door prevent some dove visitation this morning, beginning with loud coo-ing and a bit of a chase along the Vergola. From the silhouette it looked like the fat Turtle chasing a smaller dove. I looked up this behaviour, and it seems to be called 'driving' . It usually occurs when the male of a pair observes another male hanging around. Rather than driving off the other male, he drives his partner away from the area.








This seemed to be what was happening here, although I did not see a third bird. The smaller bird flew away and the larger kept watch.

Some ten minutes later, Stormy, the young dark-breasted dove appeared and ate the seed like a vacuum cleaner.


Next thing, Myrtle arrived on the rail. Stormy moved very quickly behind the watering can and stood stock still.

As Myrtle dropped to the floor Stormy slipped like a shadow below the rail and away. It was so smooth Myrtle appeared not to notice.

She ate the few remaining seeds then stood sentry for a few minutes before flying away.

It isn't clear to me what is going on here. Is Turtle ill, or fluffing up in the windy, somewhat cooler conditions? Is it Myrtle he was driving on the Vergola, or a younger, potential rival, bird? Or is Stormy a rival female?


I don't know that  I will ever understand the story that is being told in this little dove drama. It is, however, a privilege to have a window on to some of it.

I chose not to scan photos today. I preferred to spend the time I had left after ticking off some jobs embroidering the second inner row of the Caterina project. It is quite slow work. I got halfway around.












The day finished as it began, cool, cloudy, with bursts of rain. I didn't get to hang out the washing.