Here at Hamstergbert Castle we are no strangers to the ghostly outlines of bird-crashes marking up the window. Occasional little birds that seem to bounce off without damaging themselves or leaving an impact image, but far too often the ruddy wood pigeons come smacking against the glass.
When they are brightly lit in the sunny garden, the windows with a comparatively dark room behind act as a reasonably efficient mirror and I think the wood pigeons (who if we are being honest are not the sharpest knives in the feathered drawer) think their reflection is another wood pigeon trying to muscle in. They therefore fly at the ‘other’ wood pigeon in their version of chicken (ignoring the avian cultural appropriation of course) expecting/hoping that the ‘rival’ will swerve first, and either way working a flight plan involving a really close ‘airprox’ brush by. When brought to an abrupt halt by the window, the dust and other rubbish in the feathers keeps going to paint the image on the glass.
I swear you can sometimes make out a look of surprise on the ghost birds image.
I’ve suggested to the wood pigeons around here that instead of getting aggressive when they ‘think’ they are being challenged by another bird, they ought to chill out by taking advantage of HGB’s ‘wood pigeon spa day’. What could be nicer than relaxing in a gentle warm bath of red wine, fragrant with a few shallots, mushrooms and peppers for an hour…. At 185 (fan) of course…