Wednesday 29 September 2010

Miserable

What a miserable day! We got up this morning to find it was drizzling, grey and dull. Not conducive to a good walk in the countryside, so we decided to take a trip to Heanor to try to buy some 'fat-balls' for our little feathered friends. Getting a bit fed-up with this weather at the moment, but not as fed-up as the Woodpigeon (Columba palumbus) who was eating the berries from our Pyracantha this morning.
Woodpigeons are splendidly beautiful birds. They are our largest pigeon species as well as our most common. I particularly like the 'warm' and homely 'cooing' which they do. It always sounds like a 'comfortable' sort of sound. It is thought that there are between 2,500,000 and 3,200,000 breeding pairs of Woodpigeons in the UK. It was first scientifically classified by Carl Linnaeus (known as the "Father of Taxonomy"), in 1758. They always seem to have a look of surprise on their face.
Raindrops were beginning to fall heavier by the time we had finished our breakfast and the Pyracantha was dripping with wet jewels.
Lets hope the weather is better tomorrow...!

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