April 19th, 2021

Remember this birdie?  Not all that long ago I posted about how a woodpecker had decided to build a nest in the dead palm tree in the courtyard.  The tree that Tim was planning to cut down of course.  And also of course, we have put those plans temporarily on hold.

Well, News Bulletin:  There is a new bird in town.  Yes indeedy.  I guess the word on the street is that our courtyard is a great place to build a nest because a few days ago we watched with great fascination as a pair of doves spent a great deal of time hopping along the top of the courtyard wall and then disappearing into one of the Bougainvillea's with bits of twigs and dried grasses in their beaks.

Over and over, for hours at a time, tirelessly (although I'm sure they are both exhausted from the project) we watched these two doves, one at a time, emerge from the shrub and fly off then return with building materials and enter the bougainvillea only to repeat.

Technically the bougainvillea is on the outside of of the courtyard wall but it's tall and full and lush and easily seen from the inside of the courtyard.  The dead palm tree is on the inside of the courtyard in the strictest sense but towers over the bougainvillea and thus is apparent from the outside.  And since one is directly behind the other they are, in effect,  neighbors, but the wall technically separates them. Sort of like having a neighbors house behind or beside you.  One butts right up against the other, but the property line separates your homes and yards.  If you are lucky there is a fence of some sort between you.  Was it Robert Frost who said, "Good Fences Make Good Neighbors?"

We noticed with great amusement that the woodpecker is showing tremendous interest in her new neighbors, the doves.  She cranes her neck from inside her home looking down to see what is  going on next door.   And then she  yakyakyakyakyaks at the dove family.

Now to be fair I don't know much about birds, wild or domesticated so I have no idea if wood- peckers and doves make good neighbors or if are they natural enemies.   I do not speak "bird" so I've no earthly idea what Ms Woodpecker is saying.  Is she welcoming them to the neighborhood?  Is she yelling at them to get away?  Is she warning them about the lawn guys who occasionally trim the bougainvillea? Or are they sharing recipes?

It seems that the word is out in the birdie world that our yard is a good place to build a nest.  And we don't mind a bit.  We are taking it as a compliment that wildlife have decided that our yard is a safe place.

And now it seems as if all of the woodpeckers relatives and friends are hanging around visiting.  I've never seen so many around here.  They zoom from  tree to tree around us (ours and our neighbors yards), making all of their distinctive chirrups and purrs the whole time.  Whereas the dove family are much quieter and don't seem to throw the same kind of parties.

As the days go by, all of the birds are becoming used to us.  We talk to them softly and try to not make any crazy loud noises or wild gestures while we are in the courtyard and in return, the birds no longer fly away when we are outside.   Instead they stay near their homes, carefully watching us, but at least they have come to trust us that far. And really that is quite far enough.  I know better than to try to pet a bear. Or a woodpecker.

Throughout the day, now and again, whenever we have a spare minute or two, we watch the show from the kitchen window. Maybe I will do a little reading about these birds so that we have little bit more of a clue what is going on instead of guessing.  And meanwhile, we will continue to enjoy the show.