Story: Winter Mourning Doves
“Good morning, Juniper!” Pip, the deer mouse, waves and scurries through the snow.
“Good morning, Pip!” Juniper, the chipmunk, smiles. “What are you doing this morning?”
“Making my usual rounds, checking the winter stashes of nuts and seeds,” Pip replies, enjoying the beautiful snow in the Watercolor Woods.
Pip stops as she reaches a clearing in the woods, “Cooing? That doesn’t sound like Mia?”
“Coo-OO-oo. Coo-OO-oo.”
“Good morning!” PiP calls into the trees. “Who’s there?”
“Good morning.” Pip hears. “I don’t think we have met.”
“I’m Pip. Who are you? Where are you?” Pip climbs onto a log to get a better look.
“Coo-OO-oo,” Pip hears again and sees leaves rustling in the tree above.
“I’m Ozzy, and this is Ava,” Ozzy and Ava land on the log near Pip.”
“Nice to meet you. Are you lost? We don’t usually see mourning doves here in the winter,” Pip asks.
Ava tilts her head, her round, dark eyes studying Pip, “Coo-OO-oo. We decided to stay through the winter instead of migrating.
Ozzy adds, “We didn’t know that food is scarce in the winter, and the nights are colder than expected.
Pip frowns, “Have you eaten today?”
Ozzy shakes his head, “Only a few seeds.”
“We can’t have that!” Pip exclaims. “I have extra seeds and berries stored in my hollow of the big cypress tree. Follow me!”
The two mourning doves exchange glances, then flutter after Pip, “Wait for us!”
Near home, Mia, the blue jay, sees Pip followed by two strangers, “Who’s this?”
“Hi, Mia! These are Ozzy and Ava,” Pip explains. “They decided to stay in the woods for winter this year.
“Hi! I am Mia. Come in,” Mia gestures. “It’s warm inside!”
Pip pulls out a bundle of nuts, seeds, and berries, “Here you go!”
Ozzy takes a few seeds, “This is wonderful! Thank you so much!”
Ava gives a soft coo, “You are kind. Thank you.”
“So… Why didn’t you migrate?” Mia wonders and asks.
Ozzy answers, “We want to find a place to stay for a while rather than travel so far.”
Pip nods, “The Watercolor Woods are perfect, but winter can be tough if you are not prepared.
Mia gives a little nod, “That’s why we all help each other.”
“What do you do in the winter,” Ozzy asks curiously.
“Well, I spend much of my time gathering the food I have stored,” Pip points to a bundle in the corner. “Mia and I also love exploring when we have time.”
“What do you find when you explore?” Ava asks.
“Come on. I’ll show you something!” Pip scurries down the cypress toward the river.
The others follow and shout, “Pip! Where are we going?”
At the river’s edge, Pip points and grins, “Look closely! Watch the water.”
“Splash-splash!”
Everyone but Pip gasps, “Wow!”
“An otter darting through the water near the edge of the ice!” Ozzy whispers.
Mia chuckles, “It’s showing off! Watch as it climbs onto the ice.”
Ava gasps, “Oh! It flipped its tail at us before diving back into the water!”
Pip smiles, “They make the most of this cold winter weather, just like us.”
“It’s getting dark,” Mia mentions. “We should be heading home.”
“Thank you, Pip,” Ozzy says. “We should be heading to our perch too.”
“You’re welcome anytime,” Pip invites. “Come visit soon!”
