Saturday, May 30, 2009

Camera Critters #60

When I was young kid growing up in the Chicago area, I would look forward to our family's trip south to my grandparents. Farm life was so different from life in the big city. But there was something else farm life presented me, city life didn't.

Rain Crows...at least that's what my grandmother called them. She called them that because whenever she heard them "cooing" she would say, "Rain tomorrow."

Rain Crows were nothing more than Mourning Doves, but for a good part of my life, I only knew them as gramma did. Mourning Doves were also the only doves I knew for a long time.

Mourning Dove

Then I moved to central Oregon and took up birding. I learned there were other types of doves, such as the Rock Dove, or Pigeon. I learned of different types of doves elsewhere in the country. These included several types, including Mourning Doves, found in Texas.

When I went there several years ago to visit my brother and his family, I was looking forward to some new birds. Right away, I started critters I didn't see in Oregon. Such as the White-winged Dove and Inca Dove. I made it goal to get good images of both.

White-winged Dove

Inca Doves

The more I learned about the birds around me, the more I realized there were birds I might never see.

However, on Memorial Day, I was at my house getting ready to head out on a safari when I heard a strange sounding bird outside. I walked to my screen door and didn't see anything right away. Then I caught movement on a telephone pole nearby and saw a couple of birds on the cross beams. They looked like Mourning Doves to me and I was just about ready to return to my preparations when one of the birds flew and I knew immediately it wasn't a Mourning Dove.

I quickly got my camera and walked outside. Both birds were again on the pole, so I lifted my camera and fired off several shots. When I went back inside, I uploaded the photos to my computer to verify my identification. Sure enough, the birds were Eurasian Collared Doves.

I had been hearing about these birds in this area for a while now. There were rare reports last Autumn, and a few more this Spring. When I looked on range maps for the bird, it is shown mostly in the southeast, Florida to be specific, but has been seen sporadically around a lot of the eastern half of the country.

However, they seem to be well settled in central Oregon now.

Eurasian Collared Doves

Misty Dawn's Camera Critter Meme is a great way to see critters of all types. Go to the Meme homepage here and check out more entries. Then join the fun and let the world see your critters!

19 comments:

storyteller said...

Interesting info and lovely photos. I see mourning doves here in Southern California too but they don't seem to predict rain. I'm playing on all three blogs this week ;--)
Small Reflections features Molly at Play, Sacred Ruminations highlights Pelicans in flight against a blue California sky, and at Happily Retired Gal I share Pelican metal sculptures against grey skies.
Hugs and blessings,

Marie Reed said...

When I hear mourning doves coo I will always think Rain Crows Now:) Wonderful!

said...

That's a lovely story about how you came to know doves as Rain Crows. Thanks for sharing it, and for sharing the beautiful photos. They're so elegant.

Teena in Toronto said...

It's funny how our childhood turns stick with us. I thought for years that red delicious apples were called Christmas apples because that's the only time we had them.

I played too :)

This Is My Blog - fishing guy said...

Ash: What a neat collection of doves.

??? said...

Beautiful photos. I hadn't heard the rain crow term before, it sounds nice somehow :)

Unknown said...

I love listening to the cooing of the doves ... they alsways sound so peaceful..

Hmmm .. don't know about them heralding rain in these parts. I often hear them, but apart from a 3 minute sprinkle last night, nary a drop in sight !!

Lovely photos and some interesting information..

Anya said...

We have also many doves,
I like doves they are so CUTE :)
Fantastic shots !!

Snap said...

Lovely story and aren't the Collared Doves something?!!! I have a family that enjoys our feeder. I'm quite fond of them.

Anonymous said...

Nice shots, & some good information to go with it!

Thanks for sharing!

jabblog said...

Interesting to hear about your doves. Sixty years ago Collared Doves were a rarity in UK but have adapted very well and spread far and wide.
I love the name 'Mourning Dove'.

Anonymous said...

very nice!

I have a great photo up this week, please stop by to check it out.

Have a great weekend.

Linda said...

It is interesting to see the different varieties of doves ... we just have the mourning doves here. Stop by and see my baby sparrows when you have time.

Rose said...

A very interesting post; those Inca doves are absolutely gorgeous. I have always thought our morning doves were pretty, also.

A Blog In The Rough said...

lovely doves, all we have here in DE are pigeons. I think they're cute but some ppl call them rats with wings.

Luna ( from Brazil ) said...

wow beautiful Doves!
My mommy always says that I can't hunting them because doves are our friends cute! Yes...they are adorable...maybe another time, who knows! ;-)
Just kidding, because I'm a good kitty okay!
purrs and love
Luna

Maude Lynn said...

Those Inca Doves are beautiful!

Misty DawnS said...

These are some fantastic photos, my friend. I especially LOVE the Inca Doves photo!!! That's so beautiful.

P.S. Congrats on being the featured Camera-Critters capture.

Island Style said...

I too connect these lovely doves to my childhood. I often think about that when I hear them. These are lovely shots..thanks for putting this interesting post together-