Powdery Pigeon

pigeonA wood pigeon flies in to perch on a branch of the ivy-covered ash. A few seconds later there a puff of ‘smoke’ two or three feet across which drifts off to the right.

When I remember the powdery silhouettes that wood pigeons make when they fly into our patio windows, the most likely explanation is that it this was part of preening routine. Side-lit by the pigeonmidday sun, the powdery wisp showed up against the dark background of the ivy.

This happened again a couple of times over the next few minutes.