It's a bittersweet victory
Whilst barn owls Tappy & Sparkle are out, a stock dove claims their nest - even laying two eggs there. This pair consider Ash Tree Nest their home, but during the day it is quietly claimed by another visitor — a stock dove drawn to its shelter. Believing the nest is unoccupied, she lays her eggs there and begins to brood, but when the barn owls return they quickly evict her. Despite being chased away time and again, the stock dove returns to her eggs day after day, driven by the powerful urge to brood and protect. Eventually, she is forced to abandon the nest, and Tappy and Sparkle reclaim their home — a bittersweet victory. Hopefully, the stock dove will find a safer place to begin again.
