Our nesting Wood Pigeon.

Each year when the Liquid Amber tree is in full leaf, they build another nest in the same place.
Well it is called a nest, but looks like a ramshackle collection of random twigs to me!
Sometimes in the Spring before the leaves appear, the Magpies come along and pinch last year’s twigs for their own big domed nest.
Looking at her sitting on it , you wonder how any eventual eggs don’t fall out if she leaves for a break. Her partner comes along to feed her. I saw him the other day helping.
They breed for life, like swans, unless one of them dies. Over the years I’ve also been able to watch them feed their offspring on the nest..They feed from the parent’s crop, which looks quite startling to see!
It is going to be 31C this afternoon, so we were both up early. I decided to do the morning 2 mile circular walk just after 9:15am as the school traffic had cleared our road by then.
Stephen was going to see a client at the local Cancer Support Centre, so once we’d parked at the rear of the hotel, he set off to walk the rest of the way.
I set off on my walk and eventually arrived at the Farmhouse Bistro before 10:00am.
I was using my crutch today, having done a bit of deadheading and weeding yesterday in the morning.
I sat and enjoyed my coffee. Not a lot of folk about.
Caught up on a few blips and had a good chat with the manager who had just retired. He’s helping for a few shifts before finally going off on his travels, in his camper van.
He came to sit with me as we’ve been regular visitors lately.
I walked back again to the car through the Moor Hall Estate, welcoming the leafy canopy over the long drive..Once I reached the car I went off to collect Stephen whose appointment finished at 11:00am. He usually walks there and back from home, but today it would have been far too hot as the heat increased during the morning.
I’m currently sitting in the summerhouse with all the windows and doors wide open.
Mr Wood Pigeon has just come along and given her another twig to insert in the raft. He did attempt it himself but she helped! It’s fun to watch them unobserved. For seemingly ungainly birds the business of inserting twigs is very particular it seems!
Time for some lunch..Then a spot of watching the Tour de France.