Risk taking Mourning Doves

This pic is of a fledgling Mourning Dove that I almost stepped on. It was born in the gutter on my house. When it fledged, it apparently wasn't able/motivated to fly far and it landed in the decorative gravel that replaces turf grass in my front yard. I almost stepped on it in the dark where it blends in even better than during daylight.

I have felt badly for the mother bird who sat on her nest in some really hot weather. Of all places, she chose the gutter right in the southeast corner which gets a lot of direct sunlight. As hot as it got, the mother bird dutifully stayed on her nest, protectng her offspring both as eggs then as nestlings from the sun and heat.

I was unaware that this Mourning Dove had nested in my gutter until I was having my gutters cleaned. The worker doing the cleaning reported his find and said he had avoided the section these birds were in.

Oops, the blogspot server is not letting me upload any photos so will have to add them tomorrow.

SeEtta