Band-taileds building

About three years ago, I started this blog to document the natural history of my neighborhood, but lately I tend to post about trips that Sarah and I take well away from our house. Well, I finally have something to write about in our own backyard: a Band-tailed Pigeon nest!

During the last few weeks, we noticed the big purple pigeons perching and singing near our house.

 

On the 16th, I noticed a pair perched on a wire just outside of the yard.

A few minutes later, I watched one fly into our pyrocantha tree (which we have been planning to remove) with a twig in its bill. This was probably a male delivering nesting material for the female to put it in place. For the next six days, the male continued to bring her sticks. Today I looked into the pyrocantha  from a respectful distance and saw one of the adults (they take turns incubating) on the nest.

We put off some work in the backyard so as not to disturb the pair during the nest-building. Funny how birders can be held captive their own house by a couple of pigeons!