Tuesday 16 December 2014

Pigeons and Doves

I've just had the briefest of looks on the web and it does seem possible that they may have that disease (whose name and spelling temporarily evades me). I've been studying the numbers of birds locally to where I live for a while now and it has crossed my mind that I seem to see fewer Collared Doves about. So it was with interest that I read on the BTO site that they are thought to be more susceptible to the disease than Wood Pigeons and have declined nationally since 2005, which I hadn't realised. There certainly seem to be lots of Wood Pigeons about at present. I'm afraid I'm as guilty as most birders about them. Unless I see a large flock they don't really register with me. I was lucky enough to see such a sight during October half term week. My son Tomos and I were staying with a friend on the top floor of a block of flats in Hackney. When I awoke I looked out eastwards towards the sun over the Olympic horizon and watched thousands of Pigeons migrating past at eye level. An unexpected and rather memorable birding moment.