I was walking my dog around the Sunnyside School when I noticed a pigeon pick up a twig and fly around the corner of the building with it. I followed. When I rounded the corner, I saw the bird perched up on a small ledge. I’m short, and I was standing in the sun pointing my camera up at an elevated area in the shade, so it was hard for me to see what exactly was going on. Turns out this couple is building a nest inside some kind of shaft, maybe a vent?
It seems like a good spot. In non-urban environments these birds prefer to nest on cliffsides, which keeps their young safe from many types of predators. I suppose an opening in a building wall is similar.
I wanted to stay and observe, but, like always, the local crows spotted me and perched on the roof above to see what I was looking at.
The pigeons got agitated and took off, and that was the end of my pigeon nest observation. I did manage to capture this beautiful photo of one of them in flight.
😐
Fun fact, these birds are officially known as Rock Doves, or sometimes Rock Pigeons, and are an invasive species to the Pacific Northwest. We do have native pigeons, called Band-Tailed pigeons, which look similar but have yellow feet.
Thanks for birding out with me!