We have tons of Mourning Doves around us, and find them to be quite tame and tolerant. They tend to build nests about anywhere, in fact I have a large, flat terra cotta planter that is mounted on the brick right outside the back door. Every year we have Mourning Doves nesting there which amazes me since that door gets a lot of activity and the planter is only about 2 feet from the door itself, and it's at eye level! We all glance over at the mother and babies but never approach or feed them. Mom and babies seem perfectly calm around us. Enjoy your beautiful doves! Marilyn

brit5467, I lived in Mathews when I saw one in Va. I also lived in Glouchester, Yorktown, Williamsburg, Hampton, Lightfoot. I lived in Va a long time, originally from there. Anyway, he came back yesterday, morning and late afternoon. I am going to try to get a better picture to post. Thanks again everyone for the ID.

Thanks birdguy for responding and so sorry to hear about Peeper Frog (even 50 years after the unfortunate incident..lol!!) Chickadeemelrose, it truly is amazing the success I am having...I have hit the bird bonanza lately, and with the snow today, my feeders were super busy!! Just today I had the following birds: Hairy woodpecker (male and female), Downies (male and female), Northern Flicker (male), Red bellied woodpeckers (male and female), carolina wrens, chickadees, goldfinches, white throated sparrows, house sparrows (grrr!!), mourning dove, tufted titmouse (titmice? lol!), juncos, that red-winged blackbird, House finches, purple finches, a rufous sided towhee, nuthatches, cardinals, bluejays and a sharp shinned hawk (or maybe a cooper's..not 100% sure) came to observe (but thankfully didn't eat any of my friends!!). All told, I had at least 20 different varieties today..perhaps more :) I could barely drag myself away from the window!! As for what is my approach....I guess I take the "overkill" approach..LOL! I am nothing if not obsessive! If one feeder is good, then 20 is even better!!! I have feeding stations, feeders hanging in the trees and bushes and feeders hanging from my window. Plus, that squirrel baffle that my hubby rigged up is really working well...so the birds can eat in peace. I asked Santa for a heated birdbath for Christmas, so hopefully he'll bring me one :) I'm kind of curious as to whether it will help to attract even more birds. I use the following feeds: safflower seeds, sunflower seeds, a nuts and berry mix (looks like a really nice people trail mix..lol!), several different types of suet, a large block of woodpecker nuts and seeds, nyjer, cracked corn, and these little round chunk things that look like dog food but are made as wild bird treats.. its some sort of little peanut butter/suet-type balls) Our yard borders on a wooded area, and perhaps 1/8 of a mile away is a large creek. I also have kept my side yard very natural....I have brush piles along the edge of the woods and a clump (mess according to my hubby!!) of "weed trees and bushes" (chokecherry, honeysuckle and some other stuff that I have no clue what it is!) about 15 feet from the feeding station and I've forbidden my hubby from taking a chainsaw to it....the birds love it. I'm not sure exactly what is bringing on my success...I think it's more a matter of the fact that the birds are there in the woods, and I'm providing them with easy food so they are coming...and all of the chirping and coming and going is probably attracting the attention of more and more birds. (remember that old Alfred Hitchcock movie "The Birds"? sometimes my yard looks like that..lol!!) Here's a pic of the yard from today (the date on my camera is apparently set wrong..lol!)... And some visitors... and this next photo is a pretty bad shot..but I was hoping you could see the seed/nut mixture in the feeder. It comes in a fairly small bag, and is pretty expensive, but the birds love it! I use it only in my window feeder..it's kind of a bribery for them to come really close..lol!! So, now that I've babbled on...I think to sum it all up, I'd say my number one attractor is the native wildness of my yard with plenty of thickets and hiding places, as well as the close proximity of the Conodoguinet Creek...with those things going for me, all I really have to do is put the variety of seeds out and sit back and observe. Good luck!

Hi All Thanks a lot for the IDs - much appreciate your sharing of your knowledge! Like Esther, I too thought it was a Towhee but then wasn't sure since I didn't see any white on him, he was much darker brown, and had a sharper beak. He was quite far away (used 400mm lens). Thanks again Shyamala