# Advice on Pigeon nesting in my garden plz..



## PigeonSTU

Hi All,
My Name is Stuart,
Was wondering if you could help.
for the second time this year, a Pigeon is nesting in my Garden right outside the door in an Arch of Honeysuckle.
I Noticed it Build a nest back in August and see 2 eggs.
When i got beck from holiday, i noticed 1 shell broken on the floor 10 foot from the Arch but no "Babies" in the nest and no pigeons either.
About 3 weeks ago, i noticed the Pigeon was back, sat in the nest.
My question is, can i help in anyway?
I'm assuming a magpie or something took the last ones, a cat wouldn't be able to get up there.
I leave plenty of Bird seed & little bread in a feeder just a few feet away which they do eat but what else can i do?
It doesn't look stressed and i make a point of making slow movements whilst "Sadly" making pigeon noises whilst maintaining eye contact as the leaves are quite bare.
is that wrong?
I know gestation is 18-19 day but it must be due very soon.
Thanks
Stuart


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## Jass SamOplay

Hello and welcome to pigeon talk Stuart. Thnx for caring for those birds.
These are collared doves(Sorry I can't see through,and I use PT from phone so its not clear). It maybe magpies causing this. But doves naturally build flimsy nests and many times their eggs fall on their own when winds blow.
If u touch the nest site and doves see u doing this then they will leave the nest.
I encountered the same situation many times. What I did,was climbing to nest site at night when nest making was in progress(not complete) and when doves won't stay in nest at night. I put some/a little additional identical nesting materials in nest and giving them a shape of bowl,deeper in centre and higher on edges so that eggs don't fall.
I have had success in saving dove eggs like this.


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## PigeonSTU

Hi Brocky,
I thought these were wood pigeons?

I have on 2 occasions pushed a long piece of bread Crust through the bottom so that it sticks out beside the nest. 

The pigeon has eaten half and laid the rest on the nest itself.
The nest does look flimsy which is what concerns me.

So do they leave the nest at night?

I have a webcam which i was going to place in there as i cant see if theres now 2 eggs or young and would be able to film it.

I will take a better picture of it today.

Thanks


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## John_D

Hi Stuart

You are of course correct - that pic is a wood pigeon. 

Aside from food and water, I do not think there is much you can do.

It is posible a Magpie took egg, or that Brocky's suggestion of egg just falling/being blown is right.

I doubt that there will be much more nesting activity this year, though, as they do tend to stop over the colder months.


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## Jass SamOplay

PigeonSTU said:


> So do they leave the nest at night?


Usually pigeons/doves don't stay in the nest at night until eggs are laid. They roost somewhere else in groups or solitary somewhere high. When eggs are laid hen sits on eggs at night and male sits in day.


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## Feefo

Here is some information on what you can expect the parents and babies to do and the timescale:

http://www.pigeonrescue.co.uk/woodpigeon.htm#590788609


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## PigeonSTU

Took your advice and stopped filling the feeder besides my arch and placing at the end of the garden.
I have been checking every couple of days and just now whilst working at my Desk, i noticed the female pigeon fly off over the houses leaving the nest unattended!
Grabbed the chair and my camera and took these quick before she comes back.
See attached


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## Feefo

Lovely babies but they look too young to be unattended...it is hard to tell from the photo but are they still facing in different directions (beak to rump) in the nest? If so they have not yet reached the age where they can maintain their body temperature above that of their surroundings and will need the extra heat the brooding parent supplies.


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## PigeonSTU

Feefo said:


> Lovely babies but they look too young to be unattended...it is hard to tell from the photo but are they still facing in different directions (beak to rump) in the nest? If so they have not yet reached the age where they can maintain their body temperature above that of their surroundings and will need the extra heat the brooding parent supplies.


I haven't noticed the male coming back for quite a while now, Whether he's shacked up with some other bird or been killed i don't know.

Mum weren't gone long, 10 mins or so.. been like that for 2-3 days, no change over.
I'd stick a little quilt in there but don't want to touch the nest incase she sees me then does a runner herself 

Sorry, yes, bum to head like top n tail


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## Feefo

If you can continue to provide her with what she needs (wild bird seed and water, some crumbled dry mealworms for protein) it will be easier for her to get back to the nest quickly. In a few days she will be able to leave them for longer periods.

Can you also let us know your location so we can see if we know of anyone anyone close by that could help them if there is an emergency?


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## PigeonSTU

Yea i have mealworms, suet & bird mix seeds but ill crumble the mealworm up.
Im located just 5 miles north of London in Cheshunt EN7 6BB area.

What would be deemed an emergency?


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## Feefo

Mainly mother leaving them for too long during the next 7 days, or inclement weather that would allow them to get wet. I hope there will not be an emergency but it is better for you to ave contact numbers readily available. If they survived 10 minutes today, each day they will be able to survive a bit longer as long as it is not too cold. By the time they are 9 or 10 days old they should be OK. If it rains and mother flies off I would cover branches above the babies to keep them dry (providing that isn't an access point for the mother). But use something that blends in, not a bright colour like red or pink as tgese colours alarm wood pigeons.

While she is gone you could place some food and water in a place that she can access from the nest....there are little feeders that hang inside cages that would be suitable to hang on branches close to the nest. But don't move the nest.

If there is a need for help ring Magic at London Wildlife Protection 07909795064. They are based in Ealing but have volunteers in other areas if London and would at least be able to offer advice. 

The other rescue service reasonably close to you is Wildlife Rescue and Ambulance Service (Enfield) , 0208 344 2785 or 07970 141282.


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