How very cool! I think she does recognize you as a helper and not a menace. But mommahood will probably make her wary for quite some time. But still…COOL!
Even cooler, I cleaned the balcony yesterday while Dad was on the nest, Ladyboy taking her turn away somewhere, and when I scooted the Living Room pot across the balcony … he rode along on the eggs, then rode along again when I scooted it back! He was clearly nervous and poised to flee at any moment. But I spoke softly to him and moved the pot as gently as I could, although it’s quite heavy and so impossible to be completely gentle. I made no sudden movements either.
We’ve noticed something else too. I often arrive home at night around 9pm or so. They clearly perk up when they see me walk in, as they know it’s time for snackies. Well, my usual routine is to ring the doorbell if it’s not so late that the wife’s in bed, and she’ll come take anything I’m carrying while I’m removing my shoes (this is Asia). Last night, the wife noticed that Ladyboy and The Bully started perking up at the sound of the doorbell. Huh. Pavlov’s pidgees. 
Condominium ads in Thailand are full of marketing hype such as “unimaginable luxury.” We’ve been thinking that’s what this pair have found, a condo with “unimaginable luxury.” Sure, we keep them up late, but they get fresh water and snackies at night. They have furniture. It’s a safe place from the rain during the rainy season. Most pigeons just have to tough it out until morning if they’re hungry or thirsty or it’s raining. Plus we clean up after them and give them fresh soft dirt for their nests. They’re doing okay for a pair of wild animals. This May will make one year that this couple have been living out there.
We should throw an online anniversary party!
When will the current clutch be due to hatch?
ETA is this Friday.
Friday morning and no squabs yet. Ladyboy is being fiercely protective with this clutch of eggs. I made to touch her this morning to get her to move so I could see – not chase her exactly but slowly reach out just to get her to move a little. That usually does send her fleeing though, but this time she stood her ground. I actually did touch her, and she pecked me twice. But she lifted up enough I could see the eggs still intact. Coming soon, I hope.
That’s cool that she’s learning to trust you. How long has she been coming around, now?
I keep looking for a “Like” button to press for this thread. I like it. Fingers crossed for new pidgees. 
I wouldn’t exactly call it trust. I just now cleaned out there while Mama was on the eggs, giving me the Evil Eye the whole time. This time she stayed on the nest the whole time, moving it both away and then back, just like Dad did earlier this week, but she pecked me several times as a defensive move. Doesn’t hurt at all, feels like being tapped lightly with a plastic pen, but before she would flee.
I think once the eggs hatch, they’ll maybe start fleeing again. Although Dad seems to be coming around more than Mom. She clearly gives me the Stink Eye, but he seems more curious.
Any squabs?
Late Friday night and little Oscar is out there chipping away at the egg right now. We’ve seen a good-sized hole and clear movement. This is not like last time, where we let our imaginations see a speck of shit as a hole. This is the real deal. Oscar’s on his way out. Hopefully Emmy will follow soon after.
We’ve not been able to test much our theory that the parents are paying attention to the doorbell. The wife has lately been feeding them enough to where they’re already full when I come home (although they’ll still hop down for some more if I put it out). Or even eating when I arrive, like tonight, which allowed us a clear view of the eggs.
Saturday morning and Oscar’s still not out. I had to move Ladyboy so I could see under her, but the hole is still there, definitely a hole, a rather large one, and there’s still movement inside, so hopefully Oscar’s just taking his time.
And Ladyboy did not like being moved. She’s really standing her ground these days. I touched her fully and tried to pet her, and all the while she was grunting, flapping and pecking at me. But she did move to the adjacent tree pot. I’d normally leave her alone, but I felt I had to check on the eggs.
And we have a squab! Oscar has emerged. It’s about 1:40pm now, and just before noon the bottom half of him was sticking out of the egg. He was squirming around trying to get all the way out. He finally made it.
Dad’s on the nest at the moment, and he’s more willing to let me see than Mom.
Sometimes I wonder if I should lend a hand and crack the egg open, but the wife is horrified at the thought. She insists we let them emerge on their own.
Now it’s little Emmy’s turn.
Now it’s late afternoon, Saturday, and little Emmy is chipping her way out. A sizable hole is in the the second egg, and clear movement can be seen inside.
I’ll be heading out soon and away all night. Looks like we’ll have both squabs by tomorrow morning.
Squabbies!
I’ve been noticing the dove population in my neighborhood seems to be increasing lately. Two of them like to sit on my front porch and coo to each other. Never seen a nest, though.
Always reminds me of your pidgee collection.
And we have the second squab! Little Emmy has joined her brother. They and the parents are doing well.
About 1am Tuesday morning over here. Later today, Oscar will be three days old, Emmy two days. Both doing well. I really wonder what it was about that last clutch of eggs. We do think now that Ladyboy was mourning and not physically ill.
The Bully now routinely stays on the nest and rides along whenever I move the Living Room for cleaning and then move it back. And while he did back off a little when I reached in to give little Oscar a breast tickle, he fled when I tried to touch him, although not too quickly. He seems more interested than Ladyboy, who definitely entertains a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to shenanigans like that.
I do have photos of Oscar with his butt end sticking out of the egg. Will post soon. and as usual, Dad, ever so tidy, disposed of the empty eggshells promptly. Over the side they went.
Late Tuesday morning now and I just noticed that three-day-old Oscar’s eyes are opening just a little. That’s fast. Maybe he developed further during the extra day or so he spent in the egg?
I’m glad these squabs made it and things are back to normal for Ladyboy. Are any of the previous kids still coming around?
We think Tony and Pete are still coming, but it looks like there are a few others in the neighborhood that look so much like them that we’ve lost track of which ones they might be. Otherwise, no, no sign of previous squabs, not even Charlie, who lived here for five months. Hope they’re all okay.
Wednesday morning and both squabs have their eyes open now. Four and three days old.
The Bully will now raise up and back off a little if I reach in slowly to pet the squabbs but won’t flee. At least not until I move to touch him. And yesterday while I was filling up their water and doing other stuff, he kept on feeding Oscar and Emmy, didn’t pause for a beat. So he’s coming around. Not Ladyboy though – Mama wants no part of any of that.