Eurasian white-collared dove.
There is a bird mystery in the zen garden outside my window. One bird perches in a particular spot at the same time every day. It is the second-highest branch on the tree, just above a place where a branch was cut. With a distinct long black beak and a curve at the tip, this bird seemed different from others in the neighborhood.
I checked my Merlin app to identify this bird. The bird’s size, colors, and location in the tree seemed to match the Eurasian white-collared dove. The description says these doves migrate to eat saguaro cactus blooms. The saguaro in my front yard has been noticeably more productive with saguaro blooms this May. I’ve been hoping to see a dove eating the blooms at either dawn or dusk, and yesterday I finally saw her atop my saguaro!
She nipped at the saguaro fruits, disappeared for a moment around the other side, perched on top of the saguaro, then repeated this routine. Most June days in the desert heat are a monotony of endless searing sun. But seeing this bird here to feast on the saguaro fruit gave me a new appreciation for other living beings who benefit from this season.