The Mysterious Golden Dove

When I looked out the window and saw this bird at the feeder, I honestly thought it was some rare or hybrid species of dove and not a Mourning Dove. It was the coloring that threw me off. It was about 10 shades paler than any Mourning Dove I'd ever seen. I would have described it as a pale yellow color with an almost golden tint.


I have seen more than my share of Mourning Doves, and in fact there were three others in the yard when I saw this one. The others were of various ages and ages, but none were pale yellow with an sheen of glimmering gold. Patches of iridescence on fully grown male birds is common, but this one appeared to be yellow all over. The eyering wasn't even blue!


This young bird was on the ground just a few feet away from the golden yellow dove. A brown bird heavily spotted with black is what I'd expect to see from an immature Mourning Dove. Raggedy white tipped feathers can cause young Mourning Doves to look scaly and patchy.


After taking about 50 shots of the pale dove in the feeder, I caught a glimpse of a familiar blue color when the bird closed it's eye for a second. That was my first clue that I was indeed looking at a Mourning Dove. Maybe a simple pigmentation abnormality caused the pale yellow color I was seeing. A single glance at the Mourning Dove page of my new Crossley ID Guide (more about the giant picture book in a future post) was all it took for me to realize I was mistaken. This was a juvenile Mourning Dove, all right. It was almost identical to the juvenile Mourning Dove pictured in the book right in front of me. There was no mention of an iridescent golden glow, however.


A VERY close look at the bird showed white fringed feathers that made it appear scaly, but no yellow or gold colors at all. The golden glow was an illusion created by reflected yellow sunlight hitting the white fringes at just the right angle. Perhaps the effect was intensified by the yellow siding on the house and the yellow leaves of water starved grass below. I don't know. All I can say for sure is that my eyes deceived me when I was blinded by the light. :)!

An Extraordinary Ordinary Bird

Isn't he a handsome little devil? This photo of an Mourning Dove just reinforces my oft-repeated assertion that 'common' everyday birds are often startlingly beautiful. Perhaps in this case, he is more startling than beautiful!


Mourning Doves are "common' and familiar birds in the US. Nonetheless, they really are a rather uncommon looking bird. This one's puffed up feathers make this Mourning Dove appear twice as large as she really is.


This proud papa is so tired from the burdens of parenthood that he is about to doze off in the sun. Mourning Doves have multiple broods each year, so they are always busy hatching eggs or feeding and caring for their young. Don't you love the amazing blue eyelids?


A male Mourning Dove sitting on the roof. Male Mourning Dove's are pinker and brighter than females, but he is far too pink even for a male. What is the cause of this rosy glow when I didn't mess around with the color processing? I have concluded that he looks pink from a combination of morning sunlight and the reflected light from the roofing material.


Mourning Doves, Like their cousins the Pigeons, like to sit on wires. They are such an ordinary sight that we hardly notice them. A closer look at their bright red feet, their polka dots and stripes, their startling eye-rings , and their spherical shapes, however, will reveal a rather extraordinary ordinary bird!

Birdathon Break for Beautiful Backyard Birds

I still have some magnificent Plymouth Becah photod to share, but this stunning set of Red-bellied Woodpecker photos make for a nice break from the shorebirds.


I don't often get a chance to photograph one this close up.


This bird and his mate have been really hungry for suet these past few days. I see them at the feeder three or four times a day. Do you think that means there are babies to feed?


While we are showing off our backyard birds, I can't resist a charming Chickadee shot!


Finally, a shot of a Mourniing Dove in the sunflower seed feeder. It used to be thta the Mourning Doves always ate on the ground, but lately I see them in one of the feeders almost every day.

Delicate Doves

Mourning Doves are pretty common, ordinary birds. But did you ever take a close look at them? They have some lovely luminescent colors. And they have a nicely shaped head and pretty eyes, too.

Check out the iridescence epaulets that sparkle and change colors in the sunlight. Check out the polka dots, too.

In my yard, mourning doves usually eat under the feeders. Lately, the frenzy at the feeders has meant less seed on the ground, so there are mourning doves in the platform feeders almost every day.

Here is a juvenile mourning dove. As you can see, she lacks both the exquisite colors and the grace of her mother. Pretty eyes, though!

A face only a mother could love? No, I'm kidding. A very attractive young bird!

Worth the wait!

It has been THREE WEEKS since I posted to my blog - or even took a picture of anything! But Carmel Terrace (the perfect Assisted Living facility for my Mom) is right on the banks of my beloved Sudbury River. I had to check out the wildlife, and guess what I saw? A HOODED MERGANSER!!


A Hooded Merganser of MY VERY OWN! Well, not that I own the bird; but it is right in my backyard, almost. Less than a mile away, as the crow flies, anyway! I was so excited that I would've started whooping and doing a victory dance if I weren't trying to act all sedate and blase at the time!


It was FRIGID outside, too. I wasn't out of my car for five minutes before my hands were frozen solid. It hurt a lot, but I scanned the river for a few more minutes so I wouldn't appear suspicious or wacky, and there he was!! What a thrilling morning it was, really. It has to be a good omen, right?


I also got a couple of decent shots of my feeder birds today. This is a particularly handsome Blue Jay, if I do say so myself. Blue jays are among my very favorite birds, however, so I have yet to see one I thought was unattractive.


Mourning Doves are not a favorite species of mine, but I liked the annoyed look this one gave me when I snapped a shot. He's clearly not a fan of the paparazzi!


Male Cardinals are simply breathtaking when perched in an Arborvitae tree during a snowstorm. ( I had seven in one tree last year!)


And Cardinals are gorgeous from any angle. No way anyone could tire of seeing a flash of crimson lighting up a dull winter's day - snow or no snow!