Saturday 17 April 2010

Rural life: wood pigeons

At our place, wood pigeons are called "Percy". Don't ask me why. It's a long story. And lost in the "myths of time", Ho-ho. Yesterday I looked out of my kitchen window to see a Percy displaying for his lady-love. And it was so stately and magnificent that I laughed out loud and told him how impressed I was.

She was calmly and politely eating bird food off the grass, in the single-minded manner of a wood pigeon, when he took his place behind her and began his gavotte. Dipping his head to the ground until his whole body was almost vertical with his tail topmost, he spread and fanned his tail in a dignified manner. Pause. Return to normal position. Take a beat. Repeat. It was choreography. Dip head to ground - vertical rise, tail upward - pause and hold. Spread tail - pause and hold. And .... return.
So slow, so stately, so dignified.

Yes, I know they eat cabbages and stuff. Yes I know people think they are very tasty. But hey - I think they're funny. And fat. And graceful.

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