PIGEON PIE ANYONE????

Since installing my home made bird feeder in the crepe myrtle out front I have enjoyed sitting on the verandah watching all the different birds visit.  I may have to install another feeder to stop all the fighting though!  The rainbow lorikeets are the most frequent and are so bossy when they want to feed they just swoop in and everyone else scatters.  They are entertaining though and manage to get themselves in all sorts of positions. 

The pale headed rosellas usually arrive in pairs and are not bossy at all, although they are quite vocal.
I posted about the crested pigeons here and one day when I arrived home from work I counted 16 of them sitting in the tree politely waiting their turn while 2 others enjoyed what was on offer. Not a lorikeet to be seen that day.

These two babies waited nearby on the power lines to the house.

I'm also suddenly getting visited by white headed pigeons.  I thought it was just one but perhaps he was the scout because most days now there's half a dozen of them.  

They are much larger than the crested pigeons and turtle doves but just as timid really.

Although perhaps not quite as skittish as the chestnut finches, whose heads, at times, were barely visible above the rim of the dish.  For some reason, they reminded me of meerkats, the way their heads popped up and down.  We used to get flocks of these finches in the area but sadly, this is the first time I've seen any in ages and it was only three which were chased off by blue faced honeyeaters who aren't even interested in the feeder.

I have even had a couple of sulphur crested cockatoos visit. They are quite large birds and this one managed to reef the large seed block out of the feeder because he couldn't get in. 

Oops!  Lost it!

"Thanks very much," said the king parrot when he saw it.  

I eventually went down and put the remainder back in the feeder so the cats wouldn't also get a feed (of bird).

Yesterday, the tree was full of pigeons and lorikeets when a few cockatoos screeched overhead and everyone took off frantically in all directions.  The cockatoos were probably sounding a warning because high up was a hawk of some kind circling around looking for prey.  Shortly after, I heard a loud bump and out on the road, having flown into a parked car, was this.

Pigeon pie anyone?  

When I was a child we were very poor and my father was often out of work.  Whenever pigeons stunned themselves flying into the house windows, he would run out and get them for Nana to make pigeon pie.  Apparently.  I have no memory of eating it but then I guess I wouldn't because they wouldn't waste it on we children.  I've often had pigeons fly into my windows here but have managed to restrain myself.