Close Encounter of the Mourning Dove Kind

I was just sitting on our front step talking on the telephone when a young mourning dove landed and walked right up to me. I got up, went in the house and got some crumbs, went back outside and it was still there. I sat down and it came right up to my feet and tried to peck at the laces on my moccasins. I was afraid it couldn't fly since it seemed to be quite young with very furry looking feathers around its neck. It just sat there between my feet but would move away if I tried to touch it. It allowed me to get within about 2 inches with my finger. I finally reached for it and it flew away! I am in awe!

That's awesome! There's an old wives tale about mourning doves walking up to you.....my mind is too worn out to think of it now, tho!

Originally Posted by taterbug

That's awesome!

There's an old wives tale about mourning doves walking up to you.....my mind is too worn out to think of it now, tho!

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How can you toss a tidbit like that out to me and then not tell me the old wives tale? You do know it will drive me crazy until I find out what it is don't you?

Can't help you with the old wives' tale, Linda, but that must have been a very special encounter. WOW.

Originally Posted by Yosemite

How can you toss a tidbit like that out to me and then not tell me the old wives tale?

You do know it will drive me crazy until I find out what it is don't you?

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Yep!! I'm trying to remember!!

OK...I can remember my grandma saying that it meant good changes were on the horizen for you, and that old worries were to be forgotten. And my grt grandma used to say that it meant you were getting ready to travel! Probably nothing to it, but I love old wives tales anyway!

Originally Posted by rapunzel47

Can't help you with the old wives' tale, Linda, but that must have been a very special encounter.

WOW.

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It was, I was so excited! I took some pictures but they didn't turn out very well since I was in a high state of tension.

Originally Posted by taterbug

Yep!!

I'm trying to remember!!

OK...I can remember my grandma saying that it meant good changes were on the horizen for you, and that old worries were to be forgotten. And my grt grandma used to say that it meant you were getting ready to travel!

Probably nothing to it, but I love old wives tales anyway!

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Sounds good to me. Thanks.

Linda, I love Mourning doves, lucky you! They are my favorites since childhood. My grandmother lived across from a park and I heard them all the time. I have a couple that come to my feeder every day and I love to hear them.

Mourning doves can be surprisingly tame-like at times. I remember, as a child, reaching up into some tree branches overhead and rubbing one's belly... I'm not sure what the bird thought of that but it let me do it.

I've had to shoo younger ones out of the road on many occasions, and I always have to slow down or stop for the doves around here.

Has anyone noticed Ring necked doves in their area? There's a lot of them around where I live and I'm not sure why - they've only shown up in the last couple of years. They're larger then a Mourning dove, not as gentle sounding, and not native to the US at all. They're just as stupid about staying in the road when there's a vehicle coming, though...

Mourning Doves are wonderful little birds..I have had a pair living close by for years and it's always nice to wake up to the sound of them on summer mornings...