I arrived to NJ More Field Guide Camp on July 17, 2014. We were all designated living quarters which were large, canvas tents. They contained 2 beds, 2 desks, 2 wardrobes, fans, and a bathroom. In the bathroom was a small 1′ sq mirror tile, a flushing toilet, a sink and a stand up shower with hot water. Pretty posh for the wilderness I thought. Being that there were not enough students to pair up everyone, a couple of us were provided solo accommodations. They chose an Italian man and myself, as we were older and international. My tent was away from the others, and was the best location out of them all. I was facing the rivers edge and dam wall, where I had the good fortune of watching numerous species crossing, elephants swimming, and a mountainscape backdrop. I could not be any closer to nature. We named my tent ‘Scenic Acres’.
Once settled, I was checking out my environment. I was in the washroom when I happened to look up and noticed that my roof was not canvas, but rather mesh. There was a canvas layer above it a about 8 inches, and I was able to ascertain that the mesh was so the steam from a shower could escape. That is when I noticed a white spot. Was that an egg?
Atop the mesh, there is was. A little white egg. Upon closer inspection I seen a second egg. As the light started to creep below the canvas hovering above the mesh, in with the rise of the sun, I was better able to see through the mesh. There was a bird. I did not see it at first as the eggs were under it and showing better through the holes in the fabric she was laying on. I could tell it was a pigeon or a dove. I later identified that I had my very own African Spotted Pigeon rooming with me!
As the days passed, I would keep watch on the progress this little bird was making. The day came when the little chicks hatched. I watched them get fed and grow every single day. I seen as their feathers developed. They were getting big fast. Mom was busy forging for food all day long to keep them fed. One night, about midnight, I was awoken by the sound of something scurrying across the canvas roof. I knew I had geckos everywhere, but they were so small they wouldn’t make noise. I start to imagine a snake making its way across to the chicks and I jump out of bed. I am freaking out. I run into the bathroom, torch in hand, and shine into the mesh. I see one chick bouncing around and come to realise that its sibling is checking out the area. My babies are growing up.
Over the next few nights, the scurrying of claws against the canvas was a common sound waking me up, but not worrying me anymore. Finally, on Aug 9, they reached the age to start to venture. They spent most of the day around my tent, bouncing along the beams and getting used to flapping their wings without flying to stimulate the muscles. Over the next couple days I would see them less and less until finally they were gone. One day I was outside and when I looked up I seen a couple birds flying about in a tree. They ended up coming down in front of my tent and just sat there. Then 2 more came. It was mom and dad pigeon with their 2 still a bit fluffy youngsters. I was so happy to see them all one final time before they officially left the nest for good.
Shortly after, just like my first day, I seen 2 little white eggs appear in the mesh. As with the first time, I watched through the hatching and growing of these little birds. One day I went to do my usual eye spy and I seen a chick laying down. I had never seen this before and was immediately concerned that this bird was dead. I could not see any other birds but it was difficult seeing through the dark mesh sometimes. I used something to tap gently against it to see if there was any reaction, and sadly there was not. I knew it was gone. But where is the other bird? They didn’t even have feathers yet!
I raced outside to the side of the tent and there it was. The second chick, lifeless on the ground. My heart sank. I do not know what happened atop my tent in the previous days to lead to this. Perhaps a chick fell out and the mother fled the area. Perhaps the mother knew she was unable to care for both and removed one before abandoning the other. Mother nature works in strange and often cruel ways. If a parent does not believe in the strength of its offspring to survive, it will not waste vital resources to save it. We removed the baby from the tent top and its sibling from the ground and put them in the bush where nature will use them and return them to the soil. The pigeon never returned during my stay at Nj More and from then on, my only tent mates were spiders, geckos, and bats. But that’s another story.