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This morning I woke up at 6.30am while it was still dark, and refilled my bird feeders in the garden.
I usually go out through the sliding patio doors, because the feeders are much nearer to those than going out of the back door and walking around the house.
The patio door is also where my camera is mounted on it's tripod, and where I take photos from. So I usually leave the vertical blinds partially drawn after I have been out, in case I want to take any photos.
After refilling my feeders, I made myself a cup of tea and took it back to bed. I was drinking my tea and watching TV (Yes I know bad habit!) when I suddenly heard a loud thump.
It didn't sound like the postlady putting mail through the letterbox, but I looked out of the window anyway, and couldn't see her.
The more I thought about it, the more I thought it sounded like someone had opened and closed the patio door. I listened for a moment in case an intruder was in the house.
In the end I came downstairs to check that I had locked the patio door and that my camera was still there, only to be met by the whitish, dusty outline of a pigeon on the outside of the glass.
There was no dizzy looking pigeon on the ground, so it couldn't have hurt itself, but from the outline on the glass, and the loud thump that I heard, it must have flown off with a bit of a headache.
I have now drawn the blinds all the way across, and will remember to do so in future.
Best wishes Chris
Click Here to see my photos
Hi Woodpecker I bet it gave you a start and indeed the poor bird, it sounds as if it got away with it this time.
We had this happen a couple of years ago right in the middle of our sitting room window it left an almost perfect outline
Mike
Pssst! Nudge nudge Wanna see some pictures Here
My word Chris, you were brave! Were you armed with a poker in case it was an intruder??? LOL
It is a sickening thud when you hear that noise - I've heard it a few times and my heart drops each time. If I see the outline of a bird on a window I always go out and check the area for a dead or dying bird, but they have nearly always flown away with a headache.
Lucky pigeon!
Cheers, Linda.
See my photos on Flickr
Poor thing! While at my mums a collared dove did the same thing into my bedroom window, unfortunately it was being chased by a Magpie, & didnt have time to recover as the Magpie swooped to the ground after it & killed it. Gone off Magpies now!
In reply to Sparrow:
Oh that must have made you jump - hope the tea stayed inthe mug!! When this type of thing happens its always me that goes to check, DH generally asleep before I return. Glad you were on your own downstairs + camera still there!!
The 'mark/shadow' left when they hit the window is so beautiful, wonder if there is any way to transfere it onto paper from the glass?
lad the pigeon got away a bit of a rude awakening for you both!!
'In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks' John Muir.
Excuse wobbily dyslexic spelling!
Hi Chris
I'm sure that must have given you a bit of a shock this morning. Not the way you want to start the day. I have only ever had one bird hit, which left the perfect print on the window. I would just like to ask does anyone know what the white print is made up of which is left on the window ?
Robert
In reply to osprey:
Yes Osprey, such a ghostly image. If forensic bods can remove fingerprints form things with that film they use, I wonder if it would work with bird shadows!!! Could start a whole new artform!
Kim
So pleased it wasn't an intruder but isn't it awful when birds hit the windows usually at full speed.Fortunately,my blinds do seem to work here, as i don't get as much reflection if i alter them now and again to suit.Pleased the bird was ok though. :0)
An optimist sees the beauty of the complete rose.A pessimist sees only the thorn .
Wow I am impressed with your commitment, getting up at 6.30am to feed the birds ! and then going back to bed.
I must admit I have done the same when had all the snow, but not as early as you. Glad you did'nt have an intruder. I just hate the sound of a thud on the window, you just know it's going to be a poor bird
Linda
What a wonderful world :))
Poor you, poor pigeon but so glad you both survived. A meadow pippit was once blown into our window in a storm in the Hebrides, when I rescued the poor, dazed bedraggled thing and popped it into a box to recover I noticed a patch of feathers missing from above it's eye and it was already turning blue. I've never forgotten the pippit with the black eye. I'm glad to say it recovered.
I must find something to do with the bedroom window here, more than one bird has banged into it, causing the death of a greenfinch. Trouble is, it's the best window to watch deer, hare, treecreeper and rooks from. Any ideas anyone to make the window visible without obscuring my wonderful view?
In reply to Kezsmum:
Kezsmum said:Any ideas anyone to make the window visible without obscuring my wonderful view?
RSPB window stickers
what goes around comes around!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/guyfrankland/sets/72157623175917620/show/