Says one mourning dove to another: “You’re plump and cute; Let’s get married.” Or at least that’s what I thought he said, though his words came out a bit garbled, more like like “Oooh eee, oooh, oooh, oooh.” We watched this pair yesterday afternoon and I just saw them this morning as they continued their courtship dance on our deck railing.

Mourning doves like our house. Maybe it’s the silvery weathered wood, which makes them think they’re in the forest. Or maybe the railing is the right height for them. Or maybe they know that bird lovers live inside. We’ve had dove families here before. One year we watched babies take flight. They toddled along the planks, then spread their wings and soared to a nearby bough. As we stood earthbound, holding our breath, they became creatures of the air.