This week, new life sprung forth in my apartment!When I got home from my grad class around 9:15 PM on Tuesday, June 9th, I found THREE doves in my birdcage instead of two!
The little egg that Pure had laid on May 22, 2009 (my parents' wedding anniversary)--and which both Pure and Innocent had taken turns sitting on as dutiful parents--had finally hatched. Yes, their 15th egg was their first success story!
Little Junior is adorable! He is all pink and squirmy, his little eyes covered in protective skin. His precious features are so detailed, from the perfect contour of his miniature beak to his fragile little wings and delicate toes.
The little egg was cracked perfectly apart, the top third being the lid and the bottom two-thirds being the little container from which he wriggled out. Oh, how I wish I could have witnessed that while it was happening!
He appeared to be moist, and by this I could tell that he probably hatched very recently. I searched all over the base of the cage for an mini instruction booklet, but none was to be found.That first night, I witnessed the frustration that a new mother and baby face as they attempt to get in sync with one another. Little Junior would stretch out his neck and fling it about haphazardly, blindly searching desperately for a snuggly spot under his mothers' feathers.
Mom would stare at him in disbelief and confusion, wondering how on earth she would get comfortable and sit on something so unlike the round solid egg she was used to. In between his squirmy efforts to hide underneath her, little Baby would pause and rest from exhaustion, and it is then that I snapped the above picture of him (or her?) sleeping. So cute!
When he would awake and try again, there were short moments where he would have the strength to hold up his head, and that is when I snapped the second picture. But, just like all babies, he was wobbly--even when he crawled on his belly--and it wouldn't be long before he had to rest again.
From a perch high in the cage, Father was watching all the happenings below. And he could stand it no longer when he again saw his son (or daughter?) fall asleep midway through trying to get under Mother's warm tummy! Father came right down and tried to sit on the baby himself. But soon both parents found themselves in the same pickle. How were they to sit on this?!
After a considerable amount of time passed and I began to worry that the baby would never make it to a warm resting spot underneath his mother , I decided to dim the lights. Finally, 30 minutes later, Mother and Baby finally got it figured out, and now all my doves and even myself could finally sleep! A good night's rest was had by all.
And, ever since, Mom and Dad have been taking turns keeping Baby warm and safe. He is doing well, and--when one of his little feet happens to poke out from underneath one of his parents--his mother or father will gently nibble at his toes, playfully encouraging him to sneak the rest of his leg back under. :-)
