Wild Bird Wednesday 670 - Wood Pigeon

The Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus), also known the Common Wood Pigeon, is a large species in the dove and pigeon family that is native to the western Palearctic. It closely related to the (Columba livia) which is the ancestor of most (maybe all?) of the feral pigeons that we see in many urban areas today.

The wood pigeon large pigeon size at 38 – 44.5 cm with a weight of between 300 – 615 g. It is basically grey bird, with a pinkish breast with white on its neck and wing. The wingspan can range from 68 to 80 cm. 

This species is often regarded as an agricultural pest, and is hunted, in most European countries. It is wary in rural areas, but often quite tame where it is not persecuted. These birds seem to fall into the 'quite tame ' category!

The bird on the ground is at the RSPB reserve at Ham Wall in Somerset, and the perched birds are at the WWT Reserve at Slimbridge.

The final pictures show a Wood Pigeon perched on a large Lego owl at Slimbridge.  

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WBW 669 - Eurasian Spoonbill

The Eurasian Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia) is a bird that has become re-established in the UK in the years since I migrated the Australia (this is not cause and effect I hope!)

Spoonbills were a familiar sight in the UK until16th century. Since that time the now well understood impact of the drainage of wetland habitats and hunting resulted their extinction as a breeding bird in the UK.   

Spoonbills first attempted to breed again in the UK in the late 1990s, but it wasn’t until 2010 that the first regular colony of breeding Spoonbills established at Holkham National Nature Reserve in Norfolk (the largest and oldest UK colony).   Previously, the last recorded nesting Spoonbill was in Suffolk in 1668.

This bird is a juvenile bird, and does not yet have the black bill of an adult.  This bird had been seen regularly at the Slimbridge WWF trust for at a number of weeks before I saw it in mid April.  There is more than a decent possibility that this bird is from the colony breeding in Norfolk.

I rather like the yoga moves that this bird is practicing!

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WBW 668 - Rook

The Rook (Corvus frugilegus) is a member of the crow family, the Corvidae and can be found from Scandinavia and Western Europe to Eastern Siberia.  This bird was photographed in the South West of England at Slimbridge, a Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust reserve.

The Rook is a large, gregarious bird with the black plumage the is common to many, but not all, Corvids.  In the UK this species can be distinguished from other similar, all black Corvids, by the boney looking whitish featherless area on the face.  This species also has wears black feather 'trousers' that extend at least partially down its legs.

Rooks nest in groups in the tops of tall trees, often close to farms or villages; the groups of nests are called rookeries.  Rooks are one of the first birds to start breeding - or at least nest building / repair - in the UK.  It's a sure sign that the winter weather is at least thinking about moving into spring when the rooks return to their rookeries.

Rooks are a fairly large bird, with an adult weight between 280 to 340 g, and a wingspan of between 81 to 99 cm.

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(Public Service Announcement: for the last five weeks I have been travelling in Europe (hence the Rook) and I made the decision that I would avoid my computer / phone for as much of that time as possible.  As a result I have not been visiting any blogs or responding to comment.  Normal service will be restored in the next few days when the jet lag disappears!  SM)

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WBW 667 - Bullers Albatross

The Buller's Albatross (Thalassarche bulleri) is a medium size, but clearly very attractive albatross breeds on islands around New Zealand, and feeds in the seas off Australia and the South Pacific.

As with almost all of my seabird /pelagic posts this bird was photographed off the coast of Tasmania, on a pelagic trip that departed from nr. Eaglehawk Neck.

It is described in my field guide as a 'small to medium sized black and white albatross with pearl-grey hood and contrasting white cap' - which is a pretty good description as far as I can tell!

While being far from abundant around the boat we use for pelagic trips I think we have always seen at least one of these birds on the Tasmanian trips I have been involved in.  I've said it before, and I'll probably say it again- but if you get a chance to go on a pelagic trip,  take it!

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