Pigeons in the Robin Box - What D'you Do?

I wanted to start this entry out with a beautiful image - our "Jane" magnolia, blooming in August. This doesn't happen very often in Nebraska; magnolias bloom first thing in the Spring before the leaves show up. The delicate pink flowers stood out nicely against the dark green foliage, and I loved it.

Now, on to the rest of the story.

Once upon a time, there were two pigeons. These pigeons had cased the entire neighborhood, looking for someplace nice to nest. Apparently, nothing was good enough; not the high eaves of the house (the eggs might roll out); not in a tree (they might actually have to build a nest); but finally, they settled on the Robin's nest box (after all, it wasn't being used at the time). The two of them, lovebirds that they were, squeezed themselves into the nest box and thought, "This will work." They laid two eggs.

After a while, the eggs hatched. Along with the chicks, a dilemma was born: how on earth would two big fat pigeons fit in the nest-box with the two chubby chicks?

The parent birds figured it out. One squashed itself above the nest box, right up under the eave of the house, while the other stood watch on the nearby rooftop. They watched vigilantly while their chicks grew and grew. (I tried to get a good picture of them nestled in the Robin's nest-box with their tiny hineys hanging out, but I need to get a better camera for such shots). Finally, they grew big enough that it seemed that they took turns being squashed inside the nest box.




First one, and then the other took a turn breathing the fresh outside air (how I can tell which is which is a question I hope you will not ask - they could be the same chick, for all I know).



Tonight when we drove up, we noticed something odd - there was something dark on the chimney, where it angled down to the fire box. It was one of the chicks!




You could almost see the other little pigeon gleefully taking up as much room as possible in the nest box - it had to be crowded in there. Finally, s/he could breathe! S/he did look a bit lonely, though.




I'm not sure exactly how it happened - how the pigeon chick actually got from the nest-box to the chimney. All I know for sure is that s/he's there to stay. Poor thing, it can't be comfy hunkered down like that, but when your life is on the line, you do what you have to.



I parked my car as close as I could to the chimney tonight. I'm hoping, if the little one falls off the chimney, it won't have as far to fall - and it would have to be more comfortable on the top of my car than on that rough brick.

The little bird is just beautiful - these photos don't do it justice. A dark slate blue, with just a hint of the irridescence it will have as it reaches maturity.

I just hope s/he makes it!