MOURNING DOVES for KRYSTALLE

Marcia Norwood
America's STORYTELLER
Telling Untold Stories in Photographs, Prose and Public Speaking

 A pair of mourning doves courted in my front yard.

I heard the nest call (cooOOoo) before I discovered their nest in my little Blue Spruce.  

Do you see the mourning dove in the center of our little Blue Spruce?
Copyright 2009 Marcia Norwood

 Mourning doves are devoted parents and generally monogamous, with two squabs (young) per brood. 

Courtship begins with a male's noisy flight, followed by a graceful glide with outstretched wings.  After the male lands, he approaches the female with a puffed out breast, bobbing head and loud calls.  (I've had a few men court me in the same manner.)

The male leads the female to potential nest sites, and she choses one.  The female dove builds the nest, but the male gathers material and brings it to her.  The flimsy nest is made of twigs, conifer needles and blades of grass.   The male stands on the female's back and gives the material to the female, who then builds it into the nest.   Both parents care for the young.  

The clutch size is almost always two eggs.  



 

Two dove eggs in our little Blue Spruce tree.
Copyright 2009 Marcia Norwood

The bird is also called the Turtle Dove or the American Mourning Dove or Rain Dove, and was formerly known as the Carolina Pigeon or Carolina Turtledove. 

Mourning doves are the most frequently hunted species in North America with up to 70 million birds shot annually in the United States for sport and for meat.   They  get their name from their mournful song or coo.

These particular doves are called "mourning doves", they get their name from their mournful song or coo. It is one of the most abundant and widespread of all North American birds. It is also the leading game bird, with up to 70 million birds shot annually in the U.S., both for sport and for meat. ! - See more at: http://www.chacha.com/question/are-they-called-%27morning-doves%27-or-%27mourning-doves%27-and-why#sthash.X9ctNWEl.dpuf

A mourning dove nests in our little Blue Spruce.
Copyright 2009 Marcia Norwood

My precious friend, Krystalle Wheeler, is fascinated by birds...especially mourning doves.  God gifted her with a visit from a mourning dove April 16, 2012.  Now it seems they are with her where ever she goes. 

Steve, Keilah and Krystalle

"I've taken on a new hobby. I am fascinated with birds.  

I didn't wake up one day thinking this would be my next venture, but God did.

 A few weeks ago I had my sister, Meredith, over.

 I planned to share Gracia's pictures with her and recount that time of her death.  

As I was cleaning up breakfast that morning I glanced out on my deck,

 and saw a large bird sitting on my grill.  

It turned to look at me, we stared at each other for a few seconds. 

I even waved at the bird. 

I knew it was from God. 

When I had time to google birds of Missouri,

 I discovered that the bird I saw was a mourning dove. 

God gifted me with a mourning dove 

the day I was to gush about Gracia. 

He loves me."
 Krystalle Wheeler

Two days before she saw the mourning dove, Krystalle and her husband, Steve, and their daughter, Keilah, learned that the baby girl Krystalle was carrying was dead.  They named the baby, Gracia.  

Krystalle began a ministry, Lullaby of Hope, for women like her who have miscarried or buried a child.  

"God has developed my testimony 

into a unique story that can't be distorted. 

A story that can not be forgotten. 

A story that I get to share with generations to come."

Krystalle Wheeler

Krystalle Wheeler

To read Krystalle's story...click on the link below or copy and paste this link into your browser:

http://godchosegracia.blogspot.com/2013/04/hope-through-thorns.html

 

God Chose Gracia:  Hope Through Thorns

"April 16, 2012, felt like the rug was pulled out from under me. 

Two days earlier I learned that the baby I was carrying died. 

I had a sonogram to take measurements to find out when my baby stopped growing.

 I'll never forget what the sonographer said, 

"Well, your baby is curled up. So it makes measurements difficult."

 My baby was dead."

  

   God Chose Gracia:  How He Loves

To visit Krystalle's blog...click on the link below or copy and paste this link into your browser:

http://godchosegracia.blogspot.com/2013/04/how-he-loves.html?spref=fb

Please share Krystalle's blog with anyone God puts on your heart. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Come back again, and bring a friend!

Marcia Norwood

America's STORYTELLER

Telling Untold Stories in Photographs, Prose and Public Speaking