When It's Time to Spread Your Wings

 Suffering from 'empty nest syndrome', literally!! Our pigeon parents and their two offspring have 'spread their wings' and 'flown the nest'. Again, quite literally!

I first noted the nest, with incumbent wood pigeon, on the 22nd July (Photo 1) ...

Photo 1: First Sight of Parent on the Nest (22nd July 2024)

... but nothing much seemed to have happened nineteen days later except for the 180 degree turnaround by the sitting tenant (Photo 2, c.f. Photo 1). I did wonder if the male and female wood pigeon had preferred positions?

Photo 2: Parent on Nest (10th August 2024)

On Day 20 (11th August), I caught a first glimpse of a baby chick (Photo 3) ...

Photo 3: First Glimpse of the Youngster (11th August 2024)

A few days later on Day 22 (13th August), I could see that there were two chicks in the nest (Photo 4).

Photo 4: Two Ugly 'Ducklings' (13th August 2024)

The chicks were growing fast (Photo 5) though I never saw either of the parents bringing food back to the nest ...

Photo 5: Two Not-Quite-So Ugly 'Ducklings' (17th August 2024)

By Day 28, the chicks were really bulking out and starting to move around the nest (Photo 6) ...

Photo 6: Growing Fast (19th August 2024)

And by Day 30 (21st August), the chicks had definitely outgrown the nest (Photo 7)

Photo 7: Larger Older Chick to the Fore (21st August 2024)

One of the chicks, presumably first-hatched, was noticeably larger than the other (Photo 8) ...

Photo 8: Close-up of the Bigger Chick (21st August 2024)

By Day 31, it was clear the nesting arrangements were insufficient (Photo 9) though the parents were still returning with food for the youngsters ...

Photo 9: Two Youngsters with Parent in Overcrowded Nest (22nd August 2024)

However, the chicks were now spending less and less time on the nest and were exploring the wisteria that had protected them for a month or so (Photo 10, Photo 11, Photo 12) ...

Photo 10: Younger, Smaller Chick (22nd August 2024)

Photo 11: Older Chick has Left the Nest (23rd August 2024)

Photo 12: Younger Chick has also Left the Nest (23rd August 2024)

Day 34 arrived and there was no sign of the parents or their two offspring in the nest or the wisteria bush (Photo 13) ...

 

Photo 13: Empty Nest (24th August 2024)

Later that same day, I spotted a family of four wood pigeons on a neighbour's aerial (Photo 14). While I cannot vouch with certainty this was our family group, I'm claiming them regardless!

Photo 14: Fully-Fledged Nestlings with both Parents (24th August 2024)

Mary pointed out the mess they'd left behind under the nest - I was pleasantly surprised that four pigeons had made so little mess (Photo 15).

Photo 15: And the Mess They Leave Behind (25th August 2024)

As a rough estimate, the chicks hatched around the 20-day mark, and by Day 34 they had flown the nest. This seems a little on the quick side especially for the fledging cycle. Possibly, the eggs hatched before the 20-day mark but I could not see any evidence for it.

The pigeons were not disturbed by my presence (despite the fact my head passed within a few inches of the nest) and I tried not to be intrusive when taking photographs. By and large, they were happy just to keep a beady eye on me and they never flew away in alarm. You cannot help feeling, though, that the wood pigeon doesn't get the predator/prey thing.