This afternoon, I went out in the courtyard with the camera and telephoto lens. I occasionally have done this since obtaining the camera in December, looking for targets of opportunity.
Today, a mourning dove was perched on the courtyard wall. Oddly, the bird just sat there, not particularly startled by my appearance. It did keep an eye on me as I removed the lens cover, adjusted a couple of things on the camera and took a series of photos of the bird. It finally fluttered away after I moved to a different part of the courtyard for another shot or two.
We have seen several varieties of doves here in town, including mourning, white wing and collared doves. The mourning dove is the most prolific and for good reason according the source quoted below. Click on the image to enlarge.
From Wikipedia:
The mourning dove (Zenaida macroura) is a member of the dove family (Columbidae). The bird is also called the turtle dove or the American mourning dove or rain dove, and formerly was known as the Carolina pigeon or Carolina turtledove. It is one of the most abundant and widespread of all North American birds.
It is also the leading gamebird, with more than 20 million birds (up to 70 million in some years) shot annually in the U.S., both for sport and for meat. Its ability to sustain its population under such pressure stems from its prolific breeding: in warm areas, one pair may raise up to six broods a year.
The wings can make an unusual whistling sound upon take-off and landing. The bird is a strong flier, capable of speeds up to 88 km/h (55 mph).