As I walked through my neighborhood yesterday, I was struck by the large number of Mourning Doves. In most cases, I heard the distinctive whistling sound that their wings make when the doves take off and didn’t actually get a good look at the birds.
One Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura), however, was cooperative enough to sit still for a moment and I was able to get this shot. I love the peaceful look and subdued beauty of these birds, whose soft call reminded someone of a lament, which accounts for their name
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
These guys are regulars around our house. Great close-up shot.
I need to ask you if you can identify the bird in this photo https://flic.kr/p/qDNpPq That’s my Flickr site. If you scroll to the right once you get there, there is a close(er) up but he was getting ready to fly so it’s not a great shot. 1-3 seconds later, I would have had him in flight, but my point and shoot wasn’t set for burst mode and it doesn’t recycle that quickly.
Dan, I must confess that my identification skills are not that great. The close-up shot of the bird looks to me to be a Red-shoulderd Hawk, thought I would solicit the opinion of others with more experience to be sure.
Thanks Mike. When he flew off I thought Hawk but that was a eils guess.
Nice one. Is this with the new lens? I worked my sigma to the bone in the last 4 days.
Yes, this is with my new Tamron lens. I’m really enjoying the extra reach that it gives me.
Really nice, and great fun too. I had my camera and long lens next to me in the car over the last 3 days, rifling shots off, in every direction, elephants, birdies, plants, whatever…hehe. The reach does make it more fun for sure.
It is a wonderful photo…So full of character, I love the expression.
I also love these birds and remember the first time I noticed their beautiful soft cooing in the early morning hours in the Judean Hills in Israel 36 years ago. I was amazed to later discover that we also had Mourning Doves in our very own front yard in New York State – and have loved listening to them everywhere ever since.
I have a pair of mourning doves that nest in my yard every year. At least I think it’s the same ones every year. I like seeing them around the yard.