Thursday, May 06, 2004

A touch of Old World class?

Leaving my mom's house in town yesterday afternoon I saw a eurasian collared dove by the roadside. This is the common plump beige dove all over Europe, the one that sits on every chimney and castle and shade tree cooing away "HROOOO-hrooooo...". They've been spreading across the southeastern U.S. from escapees in Florida for several decades, and they have now reached our little village in the boonies of Tennessee.

I must admit I have mixed feelings about this. On principle I am against invasive exotics from other continents that might ultimately wreak untold havoc on native species, like starlings and japanese honeysuckle are doing. But I have always liked these doves in Europe and have a little sentimental attachment to them, I must admit...

Site Meter