The pigeons often stand on the raised edge round the pond drinking and occasionally I have seen one slip and just manage to take off before it landed in the water. From these shots I can't be sure whether it landed on the water by accident or deliberately. Fortunately for the pigeon that part of the pond has masses of oxygenating vegetation which it is resting on. Obviously it managed to take off OK as there has been no sign of a pigeon in the pond.
It has been quite a rarity for the camera to capture any wildlife. Normally when I check the contents of the memory card there are dozens of photos of me or Bobby or just the pond as whatever triggered the camera moved away in the second it takes to start up.
i have found this page after watching a wood pigeon deliberately diving in and swimming about in a salt water dock. I have enver seen this behaviour before, and lo and behold here is a picture of one doing just that. the pigeon was with another one, which didnt swim but was dipping its head in the water. the swimming pigeon would flutter in, dip its head under briefly, flap a bit and then fly to land, shake itself , then repeat - about 7 times while i stood and watched! amazing! teh piegons were on a water bird raft, the water was salt and had no debris in it at all
ReplyDeleteThis behavious is quite normal for woodpigeons apparently as has been outlined in last months Birdwatching Magazine. I am yet to see it but it certainly seems they are entertaining little characters.
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