[EBB Sightings] father's milk and other musings

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A pair of mourning doves chose a nest site in our front yard that was
well situated for observation: in a large spruce, a former Xmas tree,
directly opposite our picture window. It has been awkward, to say the
least, since looking out the window provides immediate eye contact with
the beleaguered birds. On the other hand, I have finally had the
opportunity to observe the phenomenon of doves and their crop milk.
About a week ago, I observed the male (the parents set constantly on the
nest, with the male taking the day shift) with his neck arched and his
beak touching the nest bottom; muscular ripples along his throat
indicated some type of peristalsis occurring. The newly emergent chicks
(only two are produced) were too tiny to observe, but this was obviously
a lactating dad! Freshly pipped eggshells on the ground lent credence to
this theory. Yesterday, the chicks were large enough to clearly observe
as they fed. To produce such a rich milk, I wonder if Dad feeds at
night, post-shift, or if he merely stores up fat beforehand for the two
weeks of nest-duty between hatching and fledging? 
 
I have two other bird-related queries.has anyone else been seeing an
increase in numbers of hairy woodpeckers in the East Bay? In Huckleberry
Preserve, where I normally would see Nuttall's woodpeckers, I am now
only seeing and hearing hairy woodpeckers. Coupled with increased
numbers of  pileated woodpecker sightings by reputable observers in the
same general area, it seems to me that there is currently a local influx
of larger than average woodpeckers. 
 
My last question to EBBers is in regard to the Sibley eagles. Postings
on their nest status have been conspicuous by their absence. Did they
abandon their nest, the heavy machinery and increased human activity at
Round Top the final straw? Or are observers merely keeping mum? I have
been seeing no eagles in the last couple of months, from the
across-canyon vantage point of Huckleberry Preserve. If indeed the
disturbance caused them to abandon their nest, then the argument by the
EBRPD that the disturbance from building an ill-advised 200 person
campsite at Sibley would be negligible to these "habituated" birds is
patently false.
 
Private or public reponses are welcomed.
 
Debbie Viess
Oakland, CA
 

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color=3Dnavy
face=3D"Times New Roman">A =
pair of
mourning doves chose a nest site in our front yard that was well =
situated for
observation: in a large spruce, a former Xmas tree, directly opposite =
our
picture window. It has been awkward, to say the least, since looking out =
the
window provides immediate eye contact with the beleaguered birds. On the =
other
hand, I have finally had the opportunity to observe the phenomenon of =
doves and
their crop milk. About a week ago, I observed the male (the parents set
constantly on the nest, with the male taking the day shift) with his =
neck
arched and his beak touching the nest bottom; muscular ripples along his =
throat
indicated some type of peristalsis occurring. The newly emergent chicks =
(only
two are produced) were too tiny to observe, but this was obviously a =
lactating
dad! Freshly pipped eggshells on the ground =
lent
credence to this theory. Yesterday, the chicks were large enough to =
clearly
observe as they fed. To produce such a rich =
milk, I
wonder if Dad feeds at night, post-shift, or if he merely stores up fat
beforehand for the two weeks of nest-duty between hatching and fledging? =

color=3Dnavy
face=3D"Times New Roman"> 
=


color=3Dnavy
face=3D"Times New Roman">I =
have two
other bird-related queries…has anyone else been seeing an increase =
in
numbers of hairy woodpeckers in the =
  color=3Dnavy>East =
  color=3Dnavy>Bay? In Huckleberry Preserve, where =
I normally
would see Nuttall’s woodpeckers, I am =
now only
seeing and hearing hairy woodpeckers. Coupled with increased numbers =
class=3DGramE>of  pileated
woodpecker sightings by reputable observers in the same general area, =
it seems
to me that there is currently a local influx of larger than average
woodpeckers. 


color=3Dnavy
face=3D"Times New Roman"> 
=


color=3Dnavy
face=3D"Times New Roman">My =
last
question to EBBers is in regard to the =
Sibley eagles.
Postings on their nest status have been conspicuous by their absence. =
Did they
abandon their nest, the heavy machinery and increased human activity at =
Round
Top the final straw? Or are observers merely =
keeping
mum? I have been seeing no eagles in the last couple of months, from the =
across-canyon
vantage point of Huckleberry Preserve. If indeed the disturbance caused =
them to
abandon their nest, then the argument by the EBRPD that the disturbance =
from
building an ill-advised 200 person campsite at Sibley would be =
negligible to
these “habituated” birds is patently =
false.


color=3Dnavy
face=3D"Times New Roman"> 
=


color=3Dnavy
face=3D"Times New Roman">Private or
public reponses are =
welcomed.


color=3Dnavy
face=3D"Times New Roman"> 
=


size=3D3
 color=3Dnavy face=3D"Times New Roman">Debbie
 Viess


style=3D'margin-left:.5in'>Oakland, =
  color=3Dnavy>CA


style=3D'font-size:
12.0pt'> 








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