What's In A Name?

Family and friends ask why The Grey Dove Cottage?    Galveston Island is home to many bird species, and a preserve.  Wetlands, beaches, grasslands and bays provide various habitats for numerous species; Cranes, Heron, Brown Pelican, Sea Gull, Woodpecker, Pigeon, and Dove are a few.  The island is a stop for many birds migrating back and forth from North America to South America.  The number of species is almost limitless. 

Sea Gulls

I am a bit of a bird lover.  I’ve never been birding, I am very interested in going.  From the cottage front porch Mr. GDC and I often observe various birds.  Morning and late afternoon; we feed the birds a bit of seed.  It’s become a ritual that we both enjoy.  Mornings he can view the birds outside his home office. Evening we watch from the porch; usually as he enjoys a glass of wine and I my coffee.

Rock Pigeon

Birds are funny, interesting, and constantly entertaining.  We have a male Rock Pigeon who is large and quite the bruiser.  He arrives and instantly moves everyone else from his way.  Recently we watched as he carried twigs to his lady beneath the eve of a neighbor’s home.  They were building their nest. The male shops for, and delivers the twigs. She is the nest architect.  Our garden is a treasure trove of twigs.  We watched as he rummaged through searching for just the right one, he would deliver his find to his love, then return; again and again, and again.

White Wing Dove

The white wing dove, despite their appearance, seem to be scrappers as well; often fussing with the other birds in an effort to reach the buffet. 

The sparrows, sweet tiny birds, sit perched upon the picket fence while the feeding frenzy takes place. Patient, they wait and watch, until most birds have returned to their favorite branch. Finally, they come down and search about the ground for seeds tossed off the tray.  The various species have their own community, and dare I say “pecking order”. 

Each day the flock visit for breakfast and dinner.  When searching for a blog name, it seemed only natural to “land” upon; The Grey Dove Cottage.