Alex and I watched a roadrunner stalk and kill a roadrunner in a park in the desert town of Borrego Springs. It caught it, slammed it to the ground several times, then wandered off. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/29739397
I vote Barred Owl, but I know I have talked about them before. Also on an pretty off topic note but I don't know where else to share this, so driving home last night a bunch of cars were slowing down because a falcon was flying at like car height and passing us on the side of the road, it was so cool. And I saw what I assume is the same falcon in a similar spot today.
I also spent my early childhood in Arizona and these little guys' coos always take me right back to biking alongside Scottsdale canals with my dad. I wonder if the rest of the desert is so quiet that their song just sticks right out and comes to define the sonic landscape. regardless, thanks for this cozy profile and the beautiful illustrations, good to know these beauts are all over
Definitely a growing-up sound for me and I hadn't realized before that it was likely due to our feeder! That is too funny about their nests. Different adaptation techniques, for sure. Not sure best way to contact you but I might be interested in the drawing, we have more space now as we recently moved and looking for homey things to grace the walls. My email is just first.last @ gmail :)
love to see these gorgeous funny guys so much! there are always a ton of them at my feeders or on nearby trees and lines waiting for me to get out there and refill, feathered seed vacuums pushing and shoving each other and smaller birds out of the way. (have only seen them dominated on a couple of occasions by the unexpected appearance of a few massive band-tailed pigeons that towered over the mourning doves and tilted the feeder like it was a see-saw.) i stopped feeding on the ground so as to try to thwart a neighbor's persistent and murderous calico, and though the hawks still come for the dove buffet, usually they manage to escape in a noisy feathery burst. (so often the doves remind me of easily startled little old ladies, making a huge fuss if i open the front door too fast or otherwise surprise them.) i wholeheartedly agree about the beauty of their coloring and feathers, i've actually become a weirdo feather collector/hoarder because i feel guilty sweeping up or throwing feathers away, and whenever i find those small iridescent neck feathers in the mix i get extra excited, they're so incredible, pink and bronze treasures. and the little variegated babies with the huge eyes they haven't yet grown into are beyond cute, it'll be baby season here in los angeles soon so will be keeping an eye out for that damn calico and hoping i can help keep everybody safe.
New to your NL and love it! Last spring we watched a pair of doves work out a nest in the eaves of our tiny apartment terrace, brood, fend off marauding crows (traumatic for all concerned), hatch, and chicks fledge! I live in another place now and miss them so much! Please do prints, and I vote for the barred owl.
Meant to say the roadrunner killed a mourning dove.
Alex and I watched a roadrunner stalk and kill a roadrunner in a park in the desert town of Borrego Springs. It caught it, slammed it to the ground several times, then wandered off. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/29739397
I vote Barred Owl, but I know I have talked about them before. Also on an pretty off topic note but I don't know where else to share this, so driving home last night a bunch of cars were slowing down because a falcon was flying at like car height and passing us on the side of the road, it was so cool. And I saw what I assume is the same falcon in a similar spot today.
I also spent my early childhood in Arizona and these little guys' coos always take me right back to biking alongside Scottsdale canals with my dad. I wonder if the rest of the desert is so quiet that their song just sticks right out and comes to define the sonic landscape. regardless, thanks for this cozy profile and the beautiful illustrations, good to know these beauts are all over
Definitely a growing-up sound for me and I hadn't realized before that it was likely due to our feeder! That is too funny about their nests. Different adaptation techniques, for sure. Not sure best way to contact you but I might be interested in the drawing, we have more space now as we recently moved and looking for homey things to grace the walls. My email is just first.last @ gmail :)
The dove & babies in the cactus..... <3<3<3<3
love to see these gorgeous funny guys so much! there are always a ton of them at my feeders or on nearby trees and lines waiting for me to get out there and refill, feathered seed vacuums pushing and shoving each other and smaller birds out of the way. (have only seen them dominated on a couple of occasions by the unexpected appearance of a few massive band-tailed pigeons that towered over the mourning doves and tilted the feeder like it was a see-saw.) i stopped feeding on the ground so as to try to thwart a neighbor's persistent and murderous calico, and though the hawks still come for the dove buffet, usually they manage to escape in a noisy feathery burst. (so often the doves remind me of easily startled little old ladies, making a huge fuss if i open the front door too fast or otherwise surprise them.) i wholeheartedly agree about the beauty of their coloring and feathers, i've actually become a weirdo feather collector/hoarder because i feel guilty sweeping up or throwing feathers away, and whenever i find those small iridescent neck feathers in the mix i get extra excited, they're so incredible, pink and bronze treasures. and the little variegated babies with the huge eyes they haven't yet grown into are beyond cute, it'll be baby season here in los angeles soon so will be keeping an eye out for that damn calico and hoping i can help keep everybody safe.
New to your NL and love it! Last spring we watched a pair of doves work out a nest in the eaves of our tiny apartment terrace, brood, fend off marauding crows (traumatic for all concerned), hatch, and chicks fledge! I live in another place now and miss them so much! Please do prints, and I vote for the barred owl.