La Paloma: Doves Nest In Singapore Home

The dove with twigs between its beak, eyeing me suspiciously during photography.

It's April; springtime is here as birds start to nest. In Singapore it's no exception as a pair of lovely zebra doves (Malay: burung tekukor) has found a nesting place for their Easter eggs. It's a cosy little niche between our home balcony wall and a huge air-conditioner.

The lovely paloma (Spanish: dove) couple started their home building the week before Palm Sunday on 9 April as we were listening to Donald Trump on TV, after his successful meet with China's President Xi. 

We could hear the bird calls at the balcony with one dove picking twigs and flitting, possibly looking for water and fluttering up to the air-conditioner to help the mate build the nest.

The doves were starting to build their nest when we frightened them away for a few days.

When I started using my mobile phone video and camera to take shots, they seemed displeased, left their nest dangling and incomplete. They never returned.

We had forgotten about the whole incident,  On the morning of Easter Sun, when we heard the calls again we were glad to see the nest much bigger with more twigs and dry grass. Huge relief.  Today (19/4/17) one of the birds sits perched on its nest, waiting to lay her eggs.

The pair keeps busy during nesting and we love to hear the vocalization as they go: Kroo-kook-koo. Kroo-kook-koo. The sound is music to my ears.

The children waited patiently, watching the dove in its nest. They were told not to make a sound.

The birds were also keeping two children busy as they loved the presence of the doves. The kids peered through the curtains because the nest was about four feet away from where they stood (image). Our family either took turns to observe the doves nesting or we would crowd at the entrance. But we made sure that we spoke quietly and in hushed tones. 

"Or," as I told them, "the birds will just fly away..."  

I hope to be able to document what happens next.

We've had wild things coming to our balcony. Blessings indeed.

Check out these connections below and read about the monkey, the hornbill and Josh's elephant:

http://singapore60smusic.blogspot.sg/search/label/Bird%20Songs

http://singapore60smusic.blogspot.sg/search/label/Wild%20Life

The nest in its final stage of becoming a cosy nursery for the doves. Meanwhile strong winds blew.

This Spanish song La Paloma, a favourite for thousands of Singapore seniors, has been in existence for more than 140 years and written around the 1850's. Easily recognizable and like many in its genre has a tune with a flamenco beat, popular in Spain but later exported to Mexico and to English speaking countries. 

There are about 1,000+ versions of this song and it is one of the most recorded in the history of music. Elvis Presley and Dean Martin sang the English version as, No More. 

Connie Francis, Nana Mouskouri, Julio Iglesias, Engelbert Humperdinck, Placido Domingo and big bands like Harry James, James Last, Ray Coniff, Acker Bilk, etc. had recorded it in the 1950's and 60's. 

Julio Iglesias - La Paloma is one of the most popular versions available. The English version is 'No More' by Elvis Presley.

Images: A Private Collection using iPhone 6+
Video: You Tube.