WOODPIGEON

The most commonly seen bird species in the UK, so recent surveys would have us believe.
Woodpigeons have the reputation as fat, stupid, yet tasty birds, (at least, that's my opinion of them anyway).
We have a pair of Woodpigeons nesting on a bough relatively low over the river outside the office at present, and when I say nesting, I suppose I mean just starting to nest, for the final time this year.

Most birds have finished nesting for the year some time ago, but the Woodpigeon may well have up to THREE broods in a single year, at any time from April to September. These are probably the latest nesting of all bird species in the UK.

I'll pop by and take a photo when I get the chance, but for now I'll leave you with an interesting fact that I remember about Woodpigeons, a fact to liven up dull dinner parties...

Virtually ALL species of birds find the act of sucking-up and swallowing water without tipping their head back, physically impossible. They'll take a beakful of water from a puddle (or birdbath etc...) and throw their head back to wash it down their throat, using gravity as the propelling force.
Not Woodpigeons though - they can suck up and swallow water against gravity - no need to tip their head back for a drink.

Demonstrate this, if you like, with your glass of wine at that dinner party, or better still, your bowl of soup, though best not to start strutting around the table with your chest puffed out, COO-cooing, or even worse, breeding...

There you go. You learn something new every day on "Blue-Grey".