A good end to a recent story from Jos Biggs 

Oh me of little faith!

The sickly collar dove that had disappeared into the dense and prickly jungle that is my Mojácar palm a couple of weeks ago was obviously not well, and my best efforts to rescue it with the pool net had been unsuccessful.

I was not going into the lethal depth of the palm after it, so I decided that the best course of action was to let Nature take its course. In my experience wild birds don’t have robust recuperative powers, no sooner have you rescued them than they die.

I forgot all about it. It was a pity I couldn’t save it, but at least it must have had a peaceful end - not even the cats will go into that palm!

However

Each morning I go out with a small saucer of seed, which I sprinkle on the birdtable. I then pause awhile to watch the ridiculous antics of the recipients of my largesse.

The two resident collar doves head for the table, then at the last minute their courage will fail them, and with much flapping and little grace they will abort their planned landing, and return to the safety of the garden wall.

It is hilarious watching them; even after more than a year they cannot trust that I have not surreptitiously substituted a highly classified type of explosive bird seed for their regular Mercadona variety.

The sparrows have to wait their turn. They are no braver than the doves, though if they were they would have the pick of the day’s supply. I am surprised, I always thought sparrows were quick on the uptake and generally opportunistic.

Yet on the day in question I looked out to see three doves on the table. I looked again - one was the sickly dove. 

All doves look the same, but I knew I was not mistaken. All doves (Well all collar doves) have a collar, hence the name collar doves. Except for the sickly dove, which had no collar. So I knew it was the sickly dove.

It’s gone now. I expect the other two told it that two’s company, three’s a crowd.

But at least I know that it survived!