The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Smallholding => Wildlife => Topic started by: zwartbles on July 14, 2016, 07:19:17 am

Title: Collared Doves
Post by: zwartbles on July 14, 2016, 07:19:17 am
We really look after our wildlife in Norfolk. Special nest sites with satellite TV and broadband.
Title: Re: Collared Doves
Post by: Fleecewife on July 14, 2016, 09:50:07 am
Brilliant  :roflanim:  Although that nest could do with a bit of housekeeping  :yuck:

I really love collared doves - so gentle.
Title: Re: Collared Doves
Post by: zwartbles on July 14, 2016, 11:15:23 am
They have an interesting method of nest construction. Lay a few sticks down then sit and s**t on them for a week to form a nice firm bowl :excited: .
Title: Re: Collared Doves
Post by: Fleecewife on July 14, 2016, 01:15:43 pm
A bit like wattle and daub then  8)
Title: Re: Collared Doves
Post by: zwartbles on July 14, 2016, 02:32:22 pm
Also available as a nursery!
Title: Re: Collared Doves
Post by: Fleecewife on July 14, 2016, 06:22:10 pm
Oh babies  :love:   Ours only ever seem to have one chick, at least one reaches fledging.
Title: Re: Collared Doves
Post by: zwartbles on July 14, 2016, 07:28:28 pm
Or even as a cafeteria!!!!!!!!! :excited:
Title: Re: Collared Doves
Post by: Fleecewife on July 14, 2016, 10:02:25 pm
Do you have a webcam trained on the nest, to get all these great pics?
Title: Re: Collared Doves
Post by: zwartbles on July 15, 2016, 05:01:10 pm
No, I just lean out of the bedroom window!
Chicks mother spends most of the day sitting on the ridge of the roof neglecting them.
Title: Re: Collared Doves
Post by: zwartbles on August 24, 2016, 06:59:08 pm
2nd brood now out and about. They breed like rabbits............only higher up  :)
Title: Re: Collared Doves
Post by: Fleecewife on September 04, 2016, 12:42:58 pm
I'm learning a lot from you zwartbles about collared doves.  For example I didn't even know they had more than one brood a year.  I'm fairly sure the pair we have around have not got more young.  There aren't many baby rabbits either  ;D
Title: Re: Collared Doves
Post by: zwartbles on September 05, 2016, 10:44:20 am
If you put up bunny boxes-not too high-I'm sure they would help to increase the bunny population.
And you would know exactly where to find them when you wanted bunny pie  :excited: .
Title: Re: Collared Doves
Post by: waterbuffalofarmer on September 05, 2016, 04:49:58 pm
we have a pair of homing pigeons nesting in our building and they come back every year, possibly with one more pigeon a time, last years brood I think. So far they have reared only 1-2 chicks between them. We also have a pair of collared doves which come into the garden after I have let hens out, they prance around on top of the hens runs until a sudden movement sends them flying away to the nearest fencepost or telegraph pole :) Personally I love them!
Title: Re: Collared Doves
Post by: Marches Farmer on September 23, 2016, 05:55:20 pm
"Our" pair built three nests before finally settling down to hatch some eggs, but raised three broods of two each time. 
Title: Re: Collared Doves
Post by: zwartbles on October 19, 2016, 03:38:53 pm
Would you believe it!
Brood three.
Collared Doves are going for world supremacy!!
Title: Re: Collared Doves
Post by: Fleecewife on October 19, 2016, 03:55:56 pm
Whatever are you feeding those birds?  Ours were well satisfied with one baby  :thinking:
Title: Re: Collared Doves
Post by: Marches Farmer on October 30, 2016, 08:22:37 pm
I think the predation rate must be very high with newly-fledged collared doves.  I regularly have to go and shepherd "ours" from the middle of the lane.  We don't have cats but the buzzards are very interested in them.