Sounds like your neighbor might be using tray feeders so the Mourning Doves have been multiplying like crazy. The only bold Robin-sized bird I know with a speckled breast is a Brown Thrasher, but they are shy of people.

Note long tail, light wing bars, reddish coloring, yellow eyes

There are also Wood Thrushes, but those are woodland birds and very shy. Note round breast spots, white eye ring, short tail, brown color

Other than trying to persuade your neighbors to switch to thistle tube feeders (why I'm SO glad there are no "bird lovers" living in our area to throw out cheap food and attract trash birds) you might try those new motion detector fake Great Horned Owls I've seen advertised.

Here's the lowest price I can see

http://www.amazon.com/Easy-Gardener-8021-Defense-Electronic/dp/B000FJRSOW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1245161400&sr=8-1

You are right, we love our birds and bird doodoo is just a blessing. No bird doodo means an unhealthy planet, but this does not help your outdooor dining. I suggets plastic sheets while not in use. I have Iron furnature that is easily washed off with the hose and a squirt of antibactierial soap. I would much rather deal with the small cleaning chore than not have birds.

Rachel is correct. One of the neighbors has a tray feeder. She also feed squirrels with corn cobs, which also end up in my yard. The geese that perch on her roof are also a nuisance. Unfortunately, the big ugly bird is not one of the beautiful ones pictured. I might not mind so much if it was. But frankly, the morning doves are the big "producers". They don't even fly away when I open my blinds in the morning (and the chair is only ten feet away).

Maybe I'l try the cd or holographic tape ideas.

Nature balances itself but when people start artificially feeding, things can quickly get out of balance. Neighbors and native song birds suffer when aggressive species multiply given a plentiful food supply.

People who want to see native song birds can use tube thistle feeders, avoid tray feeders and leaving out scraps, cracked corn, dog food, and cheap bird seed. If your neighbors are flooding your yard with unwanted birds maybe you can persuade them to switch, maybe even buy them a thistle tube feeder as a gift.

Many novices believe they are "helping" the birds when they feed song bird predators or nuisance animals

Success!
I hung a sheet of aluminum foil from a decorative stake using a rubber band. It bobbed around and make lots of crinkly noise. They were scared for a few days. I found them sitting right under it and then stormed out of the house stomping my feet and waving my arms. They flew off and haven't been back! At least not on this part of the patio. I have since moved the foil around a bit and added one of those shiny spirally plastic garden ornaments. Just thought I'd share my "success" in case anyone else has this issue.

your speckled robin-like bird sounds like an immature American robin.