The Eurasian Collared Doves I saw last Sunday in Monroe County, Illinois, were life birds for me. They’ve been showing up in St. Charles County for some time, and they’ve been reported in the city, as well. A friend sees them in his south city yard from time to time. Although I’ve been watching for the collareds, Mourning Doves and Rock Pigeons are the only columbids I’ve seen around. And then yesterday as I was driving home from the vet’s office after buying an antibiotic for Pangur, I saw two large, light-colored doves in a tree on Fyler. I drove around the block, parked, and got out the binoculars. This was a better look than last Sunday’s. I couldn’t see the collars but got a good look at other field marks: ventral surface of the tail and undertail coverts, blunt tail, overall color.
They are pretty birds. Exotic, shouldn’t be here, etc. … but they’re pretty.