It was a day of mixed joy and sorrow for our little family of Mourning Doves that's adopted our fire escape as their home this summer. We awoke to find that one of the fledglings did not survive the night. There's been rain, but it didn't seem wet enough for it to drown, so the cause is hard to pin down, but clearly it was a bit behind its surviving sibling in development. That sibling, on the other hand, is quite the intrepid youngster, and took off for the final time to live on its own before our eyes as we were first mourning (no pun intended) the loss, seemingly to underscore nature's balance. I wonder if it's possible the parents will still return for a third brood this summer?

Link of the Day: iBrator.com. Thanks Mars. Parental Discretion advised (in other words, be discreet with this around your parents). Sorry for the adult-oriented link on a Sunday and all, but the iBrator QuickTime Movie made me laugh out loud.
Bonus Link: iMaul. Not quite as good, but cleaner, and it follows the theme. Thanks Ant.