(note: I can't remember if I posted this story before. If it looks familiar, I apologize!!)
In August 2011, Corky and I took an 8 day trip to Hawaii. We stayed in a hotel in Waikiki, right on the beach. I love it there. It's a pretty huge resort with all sorts of stuff on it (Hilton Hawaiian Village - look them up if you're interested!) And it is the perfect place for bird lovers! They've got several parrots on the property, on big wooden perches (not caged). There are some Solomon Island Eclectus parrots, several macaws, and one or two Amazon parrots. They've also got penguins, flamingos, assorted ducks and a swan. Not to mention the local population of doves (they might be pigeons, but I'm just going to call them doves).
One day, I was sitting on our hotel balcony, kicked back in a chair in my bikini, eating Special K without milk (don't ask! lol) and a little white dove came and landed on the railing, about 3 feet away from where my feet rested, propped up. I put a piece of Special K on the railing, half way between my feet and the dove. I know, I know... Special K isn't good for birds. But I figured this dove has been eating the leftovers off people's plates from the buffet downstairs, so Special K will probably be the healthiest thing she will have eaten in a while.
"Here you go," I said to the dove. She eyed the piece of cereal suspiciously for a few seconds, before side-stepping her way over to it and pecking at it. Of course, the cereal fell off the railing on her second bite. So I put another piece. She pecked at that one too, got a few bites in and then stepped back to her original spot on the railing. I kept eating my cereal and the dove relaxed, just chilling there on the railing with one foot up. A few minutes later I gave her another piece. She ate it, then flew off. "Bye!" I called after her.
But the dove came right back! And she brought with her another dove. This one seemed male, so I said, "oh! Is this your boyfriend? He's very handsome." And I gave them both some Special K. They hung around on the balcony with me the whole rest of the time I was eating.
Then I had to go take a shower because we were going on a small sunset cruise. "I have to go take a shower," I told the doves. "But I'll leave you some water here." I put some fresh water into a Snapple cap and put it on the little glass table. "I'll leave the door open," I told them as I went in. "Feel free to come in if you want!" I went inside and told Corky, "I told the doves they could come in. Just so you know."
After showering, I was in the bathroom toweling my hair dry and I heard Corky call, "Babe?!" "Hmm?" ".... Look." I stuck my head out the bathroom door and sure enough, there were the doves coming in through the open balcony door!
"Hi!" I exclaimed. "Come on in!"
Corky looked at me like I was crazy. I got the doves some more Special K and water, and told them to stay as long as they liked. We left for our sunset cruise and when we came back, the doves were gone. Sweet little things. All they left behind was one little downy feather by the door. I like to think I helped provide them with a nice date night.
the girl dove, hanging out
with me on the balcony
August 2011
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