And a San Jose reader wonders about the plethora of lizards in his backyard.
DEAR JOAN: This spring, we had a mourning dove make a nest in one of our hanging planters.
The planter was mostly dead plants and potting soil, but she must have thought it was safe, so she laid two white eggs in the planter. This is the third time this has happened over the years at the same location, just a different planter.
We thought she would sit on her eggs and eventually, we would have two chicks, just like past years. But this year, another bird — we suspect a crow or scrub-jay — robbed the nest and left empty egg shells.
Is there anything we could have done or can do in the future to prevent this from happening again?
— Pete Birdwatcher, Vallejo
DEAR PETE: Nature doesn’t leave much room for sentimentality.
As much as we want to be angry about the crow or scrub-jay, we have to realize that the nest raider was just looking for food.
Protecting a wild bird’s nest isn’t something easily accomplished. Screening off the area, hanging out scary objects or enclosing the nest will likely deter the mourning doves from building a nest. But there are a few things that might make the area more inviting for mourning doves and less so for crows and scrub-jays. Doves and a few other birds often build their nests close to humans, hoping our presence will scare away other birds. You can try moving those hanging planters closer to your house or locating them in less conspicuous areas, such as in the corner of the porch or under overhangs.
To scare crows away, you can hang a fake stuffed crow upside down in the yard. Just make sure the crows don’t see you do it – do it at night. For some reason, crows notice the fake bird and tend to avoid your yard.
Although you can install birdhouses or nesting boxes that afford birds more protection from predators, mourning doves don’t use them. They might, however, use a nesting shelf. You can install shelves in protected areas of your home’s exterior, making it less likely the other birds will visit them.
DEAR JOAN: We live in the Almaden Valley, and this year, we have had an enormous number of lizards. They are gray-brown, 6 to 8 inches long and resemble tiny crocodiles.
We had a few last year. This year, they are plentiful. Any idea what they are and why the sudden population explosion?
— Jim, San Jose
DEAR JIM: Based on your description, your lizard neighbors are most likely alligator lizards. They have wonderfully long tails and tend to be a bit shy. If you pick one up, you’ll probably be treated to a very smelly emission, and if they bite you, you’ll know about it. Best to let them be.
They are carnivores and feast on a variety of other creatures including crickets, beetles, spiders, moths, smaller lizards, baby mice, small birds and bird eggs.
If you’re seeing a lot of them, that probably means they’re finding a lot of food in your yard.
Last week’s column about a chirping bird prompted a lot of response from folks recommending a free app from Cornell Lab called Merlin. I tried it, and it’s pretty darn impressive. Thanks for the suggestion.
Animal Life runs on Mondays. Contact Joan Morris at AskJoanMorris@gmail.com.
