Della: ‘My pigeon coop had an unusual visitor today! A little research has identified it as a White Headed Pigeon, a common rain forest and woodland bird of the east coast of Queensland and NSW. The internet tells me that they are beginning to be seen in rain forest areas of Victoria. It is so lovely to see the increasing number of bird species that are attracted to our garden as the diverse range of trees we have planted increase and mature!
I thought he had flown off, but he was back sitting on the top of the coop and allowed me to get quite close so I have given him some lunch!
Just back from a shopping trip to Traralgon and s/he is hanging out in the garden now. I wonder what s/he will do when I let the pigeons out for their evening fly? Thanks to Steve for taking this pic with his excellent zoom!
Update: No sign of our visitor when the pigeons flew this afternoon. Perhaps it had retired to a safe roosting spot for the night. Will look for him again tomorrow and put some seed out. It would be nice if s/he chose to hang around in the garden.
Steve rescued an injured turtledove fledgling the spring before last in the main street of Yinnar and we reared it to maturity before it managed to escape one day. We were pleased to sight it frequently near our dam and then this spring Steve discovered a pair of them with a nestling in the garden behind our house. How nice to think that the turtle dove has chosen to make its home here! It would be pretty unlikely that this new pigeon would find a mate nearby, but perhaps it has arrived as one of a pair or small group, all of which are possibilities according to Wikipedia. Hmmm…the garden always has something new to divert me!
Update #2 ‘Falconio’ was back this morning, sitting atop the coop and waiting for a feed. Here s/he is, enjoying elevenses. What a beautiful creature! I do hope s/he makes this a daily habit!’
Unfortunately, as mysteriously as s/he appeared s/he has moved on to other climes. Such ‘volunteer’ species are interesting. I suspect there will sometime be a colony of them in the Jeeralangs behind us – just as there are brachychitons (Kurrajongs) near Dargo – hundreds of miles from where they are ‘normally’ found! Or this red wallaroo come all the way from the Northern Territory only to be hit by a car at our back door.
