I have to pass under my willow tree to get to my vegetable patch, which I have been doing several times a day recently to conduct caterpillar hunts on in an attempt to save my cabbages. Note to self for next year, protect them from the butterflies with a netting frame.Anyway, I passed this way just before lunch and spotted a broken egg on the ground. It wasn't there earlier in the day.

There are two nests right next to each other, one largish one which I think belonged to Mr. and Mrs Blackbird, as I have seen at least three lots of baby blackbirds fledgeing in the tree, and a much smaller one which I am assuming belogs to a sparrow family. But look who is sitting in the smaller nest.  

Mrs, Ringed Dove.

She wasn't there earlier.

But why is she there now, surely it's too late in the season to be laying more eggs?

And why pick the smaller nest when there's a perfectly good bigger one right next to it?

It was really windy, how does she stay in such a tiny nest? She looks as though she has been glued in!