At the Bird Bath

Bill Oddie has said that the only good thing about pigeons is that they're food for something else. I've certainly witnessed a sparrow hawk take out a pigeon for lunch in my garden. Feral pigeons are high on the list of the most disliked birds. We're exhorted not to feed them in railway stations and councils have ways of controlling them. There is an estimated population of 17 to 28 million feral and wild pigeons in Europe alone.

However, I rather like the pair that frequent my patch. The species is generally monogamous, and produce two 'squeakers'. The female likes to perch on one of the little decorative birds attached to the rim of the bird bath and wait till the smaller birds arrive at the feeders. I think she looks very elegant there, beside the dwarf apple tree with its little apples just beginning to form.

With the small birds always eating messily, there is no shortage of fallen seeds for the pigeons to hoover up. They seem to be doing very nicely on it!