Turtle Dove

*

Turtle Dove Nest

My Beloved

came home from work

and said

I must go to the office

Son #1 rang

and said

I must bring my camera to the office...

And so

I went down to the office

and looked

out the kitchen window

and saw this fallen palm bract

lodged in the golden cane palm

 

and on top of a few twigs

in the curved end of the bract

two pure white eggs

 

sitting precariously

 

if the wind should blow

the bract may dislodge

and the makeshift nest

would be no more

 

and that would be a loss

 

to mother Turtle Dove

an introduced dove

from India and Malaysia

who is displacing the native doves

 

Streptolepia chinensis

is 28-32 cm long

and has a white spotted patch

on the hind neck

 

She has a purplish grey head

and brown grey body

 

and does not like me

watching her

But watch her quietly

I will on occasion

until I see

what eventuates...

~

A week later

my son alerts me

 to an anxious looking

Mother Turtle Dove

 

the nest has slipped

the wind has been blowing

with the rain

and the palm frond

is on a tilt

and part of the nest

has fallen away

 

but two baby turtle doves

cling on

huddled together

I could see their tiny bodies

rise and fall

with their breathing

I hope you remain safe

little chicks

and grow to see the world...

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