{"id":102008,"date":"2022-05-01T05:17:00","date_gmt":"2022-05-01T11:17:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=102008"},"modified":"2022-05-01T05:28:40","modified_gmt":"2022-05-01T11:28:40","slug":"mourning-doves-on-lichen-covered-rocks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/05\/01\/mourning-doves-on-lichen-covered-rocks\/","title":{"rendered":"Mourning Doves On Lichen Covered Rocks"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"PairPair of Mourning Doves on lichen covered rocks \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/2000, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I had mere seconds to take this photo of a pair of Mourning Doves perched on lichen covered rocks on a desert cliff face in Box Elder County<\/span><\/a> yesterday morning.<\/p>\n

The male Mourning Dove is on the left and the female is on the right in this image. Male Mourning Doves have a bluish gray cap that extends down the nape with a rosy tint on the face, breast and neck. Female Mourning Doves have a more of an olive gray cap and nape with a brown hue on their faces and their breasts are more tan than rosy.<\/p>\n

Though I saw quite a few Mourning Doves yesterday morning on my travels this was the only pair that I was able to get into my viewfinder to take photos of. As abundant as Mourning Doves are I don’t have as many photos of this species as I would like to have.<\/p>\n

I find Mourning Doves in open areas of grasslands, deserts, foothills, city parks, roadsides, farm fields, and many other areas. I often hear<\/span><\/a> these doves before I see them during their mating season.<\/p>\n

While I found many other birds yesterday it was also a frustrating morning. Crappy light angles, distant birds, bad timing, not getting to the birds before they flew off and heat wave distortion were some of the reasons for my frustrations. Not every day in the field is easy.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/a><\/span> to view more of my Mourning Dove photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I had mere seconds to take this photo of a pair of Mourning Doves perched on lichen covered rocks on a desert cliff face in Box Elder County yesterday morning.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":102005,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,1148,1189,26],"tags":[4004,5131,5100,4098,3763,3764,3747,4109,3291,5771,12857,2138,1190,2139,4470,165,4307,5063,1191],"class_list":["post-102008","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-avian","category-box-elder-county-utah","category-mourning-doves","category-utah","tag-adult","tag-cliff","tag-cliff-face","tag-desert","tag-dove","tag-doves","tag-grass","tag-grasses","tag-lichen","tag-lichen-covered","tag-male-female","tag-mates","tag-mourning-dove","tag-pair","tag-rocks","tag-spring","tag-wildflowers","tag-yellow-wildflowers","tag-zenaida-macroura"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/mourning-doves-wildflowers-lichen-mia-mcpherson-9790.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-qxi","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":39541,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/05\/16\/the-subdued-beauty-of-mourning-doves\/","url_meta":{"origin":102008,"position":0},"title":"The Subdued Beauty of Mourning Doves","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"May 16, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"The subdued beauty of Mourning Doves is often overlooked especially if there are more colorful birds around but for me their beauty is undeniable.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Male Mourning Dove about to take flight in Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mourning-dove-lichen-adult-mia-mcpherson-8964.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mourning-dove-lichen-adult-mia-mcpherson-8964.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mourning-dove-lichen-adult-mia-mcpherson-8964.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mourning-dove-lichen-adult-mia-mcpherson-8964.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":123016,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/03\/07\/mourning-dove-calls-sounds-of-spring\/","url_meta":{"origin":102008,"position":1},"title":"Mourning Dove Calls – Sounds Of Spring","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 7, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"While I was sitting at my desk yesterday afternoon, when the sun was shining a bit, I heard one of the sounds of spring: Mourning Dove calls outside my window.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Adult Mourning Dove on an old fence rail, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mourning-dove-old-fence-rail-mia-mcpherson-5123.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mourning-dove-old-fence-rail-mia-mcpherson-5123.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mourning-dove-old-fence-rail-mia-mcpherson-5123.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mourning-dove-old-fence-rail-mia-mcpherson-5123.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":40256,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/06\/30\/mated-pair-of-mourning-doves-in-northern-utah\/","url_meta":{"origin":102008,"position":2},"title":"Mated Pair of Mourning Doves in Northern Utah","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 30, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Last month while looking for owls in northern Utah I found a mated pair of Mourning Doves resting side by side on a barbed wire fence.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Mated pair of Mourning Doves, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mourning-doves-male-female-mia-mcpherson-9593.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mourning-doves-male-female-mia-mcpherson-9593.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mourning-doves-male-female-mia-mcpherson-9593.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mourning-doves-male-female-mia-mcpherson-9593.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":71926,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/07\/14\/simple-mourning-dove-photos\/","url_meta":{"origin":102008,"position":3},"title":"Simple Mourning Dove Photos","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 14, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Worldwide doves symbolize peace and I felt that I could use a little of that feeling this morning so I decided to share some Mourning Dove images I took two days ago in northern Utah.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Male Mourning Dove perched on a barbed wire fence, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mourning-dove-male-mia-mcpherson-3369.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mourning-dove-male-mia-mcpherson-3369.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mourning-dove-male-mia-mcpherson-3369.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mourning-dove-male-mia-mcpherson-3369.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":48396,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/09\/08\/juvenile-mourning-dove-in-morning-light-in-southwestern-montana\/","url_meta":{"origin":102008,"position":4},"title":"Juvenile Mourning Dove in Morning Light in Southwestern Montana","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"September 8, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"The juvenile and out of focus adult Mourning Doves were perched on a lichen encrusted, slightly frosted fence rail near the road in the southern part of the Centennial Valley.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Juvenile Mourning Dove in morning light, Centennial Valley, Beaverhead County, Montana","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mourning-dove-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-4363.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mourning-dove-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-4363.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mourning-dove-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-4363.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mourning-dove-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-4363.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":115812,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/09\/12\/mourning-dove-in-morning-light\/","url_meta":{"origin":102008,"position":5},"title":"Mourning Dove In Morning Light","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"September 12, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Yesterday at Farmington Bay WMA, the first bird I saw through my viewfinder was a male Mourning Dove perched on a boulder, bathed in soft, warm morning light.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Morning Mourning Dove on a boulder, Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/mourning-dove-male-rock-farmington-bay-mia-mcpherson-9930.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/mourning-dove-male-rock-farmington-bay-mia-mcpherson-9930.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/mourning-dove-male-rock-farmington-bay-mia-mcpherson-9930.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/mourning-dove-male-rock-farmington-bay-mia-mcpherson-9930.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/102008","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=102008"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/102008\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/102005"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=102008"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=102008"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=102008"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}