This morning I noticed a Mourning Dove with an appropriate size small branch, on our platform feeder—with no other birds present. It walked around the feeder, and then to the other side several times. At first I thought maybe the branch was stuck in its beak, so took a look with my bins, and could see the bird was holding onto the branch! It was there for a few minutes before flying to another nearby tube feeder, with the branch still in its mouth—having a little difficulty maintaining its balance on the perch, with the branch in its mouth! I looked away from window a bit, and when I looked back the dove was still on tube feeder, but had dropped the branch. However, a few minutes later, the Dove had his special branch and was back on the tube feeder!! I could only assume he was trying to attract a mate with a beautiful branch—but no one was at the feeder(s) to see it!! --
Sara Jane -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
