Do doves scare away other birds?

crash325 · Jun 3, 2013

Watching the birds, lizards, rabbits & snakes has been fun the last week or 2. Did get a picture of the lizards, hard to see but there are 3 in the picture.
The bricks with lizards, are where the quail & rabbits reach up & eat fresh new leaves.
Had a humming bird come in, it was so small it didn't hum sounded more like a June Bug. Maybe the kid of one of the others.

Under a yard light, ( similar to an in town street light), there is a night hunter, best guess is that its a hawk. Way to big for a bat or something else. Have see it several nights. Light is about 300 yards away, & it still looks big.

/pine · Jun 3, 2013

...Under a yard light, ( similar to an in town street light), there is a night hunter, best guess is that its a hawk. Way to big for a bat or something else. Have see it several nights. Light is about 300 yards away, & it still looks big.

Are you sure it's not an owl?

Ehanson · Jun 4, 2013

I have to say that in my 50 years living in the interior of British Columbia I have noticed in the last 3 years or so, the Dove population is increasing. In fact, I do not ever recall seeing Doves up until a few years ago. It is very common to go outside and hear the cooing of the crazy things constantly these days. I keep thinking that a predator will catch up to them and keep them in check, but not so sure?

crash325 · Jun 4, 2013

/pine said:
Are you sure it's not an owl?

Could be?? Don't ever remember seeing an owl (Or hawk) hunt that way. What ever it is, it moves really fast, just a quick glimpse and its gone. May walk out that way some night to get a better look.

Also have a big Hop Toad living in the barn. It's been there 2 or 3 years. Not sure what he is eating & most of them are buried until the rains come. He may be getting his water from 1 of the dog / bird dish's. He is about the size of a man's hand. Dogs don't pay him any attention. That is good as his skin makes a dog poison.

Bird · Jun 4, 2013

I was very much surprised some years ago to see a great horned owl on the ground under an outside light on the corner of my shop building.

crash325 · Jun 16, 2013

A few new observations.
Don't know their real name, always called them fan tails. They fly with their tails vertical, instead of flat. Also call them the dunking bird. Before eating they often wash their food. Haven't seen one for quite a while, most moved to town where food was easy. Curious dove was checking him out. Sort of following him as he used his tail to try & stir up bugs or lizards.

Road Runners are hunting every day, think they are mostly after baby quail. But not fussy eat most anything. Just let dog out road runner out back hunting, lizard I think.

Not many humming birds. do see a few in the evenings getting a fill up for the night. Couple of days ago a yellow jacket chased a hummer, never saw that before. 1 Little guy looked me in the eye yesterday, bout a foot away. Supposedly only a hummer can fly backward. Maybe the only 1 that does it real well. Doves, finches & sparrows all fly backwards, just not gracefully.

Hop Toads are getting anxious for rain. Though that I had 1. Nope Several smaller 1's living in sump for drain, at least 2 mid sized living in mesquite water ring.

Some of the quail are on their second brood, others bringing out their fist, lots of babies all sizes. 1 Group only has a male father, he had 5 babies now only 4.