Nest by the pond in the park

For two weeks I stopped at a tree in the park to watch the nest wedged into the cleft between two thick branches and the pigeon who sat on it.

The tree, a European hackberry, is vase shaped with lateral branches that fan out at varying heights. The flock occupy its cool and airy perches when they are not foraging for food.

Scraps from the nearby kiosk are one source, another is the small fruit of the hackberry, known as a drupe, which ripens later in the year. Inside each one is a stone and inside each stone, a seed.

When I passed by today, the mother had gone from the nest. In her place were two black downed fledglings with black beaks and startled eyes.