A Tale of Two Doves.

We have two balconies in our flat, one at one side of the building and one on the other side. We had plants on both balconies but it became too hot on the ‘back’ balcony so we moved all the plants to the ‘front’  one. We have our air-conditioning unit at the front and Omar discovered a Laughing Dove building her nest there! She only has a few twigs which she perches on and it is protected by the wall so no-one can really see her.

Air-conditioned Nest.

We keep our eyes on her though!

Then today, while Omar was on the back balcony, seeing if we could rescue a rose, he was startled by another Dove who had decided to make her nest on our basil plant.  We grow our plants in whatever we can find and in this case it was an old clarified butter can. The Dove had stayed dead quiet until the fear got the better of her , and Omar was too close for her comfort, so she flew away.

Sitting pretty.

Omar came and told me that he had a surprise for me but wouldn’t tell me what it was until I could see for myself. As I walked onto the balcony all I could see was the fact that it was covered in souk dust and badly needed sweeping? Was this the surprise!??  Or maybe the rose bush had decided to come back to life again? But no, it was neither. It was a perfect, newly laid pure white egg!

Pure Brilliance.

It was perfect. I couldn’t believe it. I was a little concerned though that, having flown away, she might not return and it was very hot for this little egg. But she returned a little while later and sat on it again.

Hopefully it will hatch and we can watch it grow. That would be so nice. Omar suggested putting a webcam in a hole in the wall so we could watch it. If she flies away for a time we might just do that!!!

Update: Omar’s mother told us tonight that there is another dove nesting on top of the air-conditioning unit!!!  So we have three nests. She believes it is a good sign and that something good will come of it!!! I sure hope so!