It appears that the neighbors were out of town. I heard them outside Saturday, apparently making repairs. All day Friday I kept an eye on the rooster, who was circling through the adjoining backyards. I saw only a few pigeons around. A gray one hung out in my front yard for a while. I watched at dusk to see if they returned but I didn’t see any and haven’t seen any since then. So I don’t know if they all really flew the coop or maybe they didn’t like freedom and had already gone back inside. I can’t see the enclosure because of the wooden fence and I’m not close enough to be able to hear cooing. The rooster is back to his regularly unscheduled crowing so I know they got him back. 
If the pigeons all escaped, I hope they have found safe places to live.
They’re very resilient. And they may actually like captivity if that’s where the food is. 
Haven’t seen Charlie at all today (Wednesday), and Mandie was out flying some more. 37 days old. We expect the new eggs will hatch about the first weekend in August.
Well, the photos will have to wait. I planned to upload them to the PC tonight, then post some online, but our PC died tonight. 
I’m on the wife’s notebook now, and it’s not set up to take photos from the camera. At least, not yet.
Charlie and Mandie are spending more time away but still sleep here at night. In fact, they seem a little too fond of each other. Hmmm. We’re wondering if they’ll end up mates. After 11:30pm, and all four are staring in at me, heh.
Saw the squirrel again the other day after a long absence, and another one on a distant tree. At least, I think it was a different squirrel. Maybe the little guy gets around outt here.
Pigeon incest?:eek:
I’ll bet it happens more than we know about. Any inbreeding problems are taken care of by the cold, cruel world and the “survival of the fittest.”
I seem to remember one of Henry’s earlier mates we suspected of being his daughter. Someone on the old pigeon board had a pair who produced a daughter that the father became romantically entangled with. Pidgee soap operas! 
We have pigeon eggs at the VunderLair. There is a mourning dove nest in a hanging planter on the porch, which had one egg in it a week ago. Haven’t checked since to see if more were laid.
Momma was quite POed when I carried the groceries in a few minutes ago, too…
Excellent! We shall populate the world.
I’m going to load the camera software onto the wife’s laptop today so I can post those new photos. Meanwhile, Mandie, who was so reluctant to fly, now can’t seem to get enough of exploring the wider world, returning mostly just to sleep here at night.
It occurred to me recently that Henry is now five years old. I’ve been thinking in terms of four years old for so long now, but he first appeared here five years ago next month. That makes Ladyboy four years old.
We need pictures! 
Yes, please post pictures. I haven’t googled “mourning dove” yet, but I know doves and pidgees are related. Pigeon eggs take about 17 days to hatch.
Meanwhile, I got the software loaded on the wife’s notebook and have uploaded and posted the new photos. Last we saw, the squabs were 25 days old, so picking up where we left off:
Age 27 days: With Ladyboy the mother. And this is during those two or three days where they stayed in the corner, so here they are just before dark getting ready to sleep. And close up. Both of them wanted the corner and would shove the other out of the way. But finally they started sleeping up on the green concrete verge.
One month old or 30 days, with Mama. And with the new egg, laid the evening before and containing Kenny. There are two eggs now. I’ll have to take a picture of both together before they hatch.
Finally we skip ahead to this past Tuesday at age 36 days. Here we have Mandie, who’s turned into a real cutie. You can see the tip of her beak has stayed white. Dunno what caused that, but we’ve seem it before. Then Charlie practicing his ballet while Mandie rests. And both resting.
And that’s all I have for now. I thought I’d taken a shot of both new eggs, but I guess not. Will remedy that.
At this moment, it’s just after 6pm and raining outside. We’re well into the rainy season now, and the family’s all out there. I did feed Henry today and then Geri later.
Getting the ol’ mourning dove stinkeye…
From Wikipedia: **"Most nests are in trees, both deciduous and coniferous. Sometimes, they can be found in shrubs, vines, or on artificial constructs like buildings, or hanging flower pots.
“Incubation takes two weeks. The hatched young, called squabs, are strongly altricial, being helpless at hatching and covered with down. Both parents feed the squabs pigeon’s milk (dove’s milk) for the first 3–4 days of life. Thereafter, the crop milk is gradually augmented by seeds. Fledging takes place in about 11–15 days, before the squabs are fully grown but after they are capable of digesting adult food. They stay nearby to be fed by their father for up to two weeks after fledging.”**
Wednesday morning and the eggs are 15 and 13 days old, so we could have a new squab as early as Friday. Tomorrow even?
Charlie and Mandie, meanwhile, are 44 days old, just over six weeks. They spend their days mostly exploring the world at large but continue to sleep here at night. They eat solid food (bird seed) but will still rush their parents for a feeding if they think there’s a chance. If they don’t move on when the new squabs hatch, it could get a little crowded.
Late Wednesday night. I fear I’m encouraging the squabs to stay, because when I come home late like I did tonight, the whole family is now trained to expect a midnight snack. Charlie and Mandie seem confused about why it seems like daylight inside here and nighttime outside, but all the family perks up, hops down and lines up when I come home late, as they know I’ll pour some seed for them.
They’ve trained you well, Grasshopper. “We’re gonna hafta get a bigger balcony.”
At least pitching out birdseed is not as smelly as bloody fish chum.
Siam Sam, I’m not trying to derail the thread, but I just have to mention the summer of 1975, when I saw Jaws in the theater for the first time. I’d been told where all the spoiler scenes were. Except for the “bigger boat” scene. Me and the whole theater screamed and tried to push away from the seat in front of us.
And it does sound as if the birdies have you trained.
Thursday morning and the eggs are 16 and 14 days old. Squabs coming soon. Maybe tomorrow. The weekend for sure.
I was able to give poor Hnery a good feedin this morning. He ate several piles that I poured, then flew off in the direction of what we think is home. He may have some squabs of his own to feed.
I’m interested to see how Charlie and Mandie grow up - they’ve been rather indulged by you guys, and I wonder if they might not leave “forever” the way the other squabs used to do.
That’s what we’re starting to get a little worried about. We have seen parents at some point finally pecking at the children to get them to stay away. But it may be time to keep the curtains closed at night.
About 12 noon Friday and I think little Kenny is coming out. When changing the water outside, I noticed one egg seems to have a little chipped area with a slight outward bulge. I’ve got to head out but will report back later.
And we have a squab! Little Kenny hatched this morning (Saturday morning). It’s almost 9:30am now. I came home about 4am and took a look outside. Ladyboy helpfully fled when I topped up the water, and sure enough, there was a BIG crack in that egg I mentioned was chipped a little, and you could make out the little yellow squab trying to break out. Kept pushing at the shell. I took a video, but just for a minute, as it seemed obvious this was going to take the little guy awhile. Will post that soon.
Laurie’s still in her egg.