Posted on 03/01/2005 9:22:30 PM PST by TigerLikesRooster
by BILL MOULAND, Daily Mail
08:59am 1st March 2005
He flies through the air with the greatest of difficulty and the bird table gives an audible sigh when he lands on it.
Meet Hercules, the bird who puts the pig in wood pigeon.
Since he arrived in photographer Chris Balcombe's garden, none of the other wild birds has had a chance to sample the peanuts on offer.
Hercules simply hoovers them up and sits there waiting for more.
Mr Balcombe, 44, gave him his name because of his size, strength and the fact he resembles one of the RAF's giant transporter aircraft. Hercules is thought to be at least 50 per cent larger than the average wood pigeon, which weighs about 1lb.
The photographer from Dibden Purlieu, Hampshire, bought a bird table so he could capture images of his flying visitors coming for food to help survive the current cold snap.
Instead he has been treated to the sight of Hercules putting his rivals to flight as he clatters gracelessly across the garden for a feed.
"On Sunday I put out a big handful-of peanuts on the table and went indoors," said Mr Balcombe. "I came back about ten minutes later and the whole lot had gone.
"I thought it must have been a hungry squirrel, so I put about 30 nuts out and decided to set up my camera and keep watch.
"Within about two minutes, this massive pigeon landed on the table ... causing it to bend slightly under its weight.
"It then polished off every nut on the table ... it only took about a minute. Then it managed to take off and landed on the garden fence.
"I grabbed a second handful of nuts and put them out. Within a minute, the pigeon was back and finished the whole lot again. A blue tit tried to get in on the act but he didn't stand a chance.
"I reckon the pigeon might be nesting in the woods over the road. If he stays around he's going to cost me an absolute fortune."
Although Mr Balcombe assumed that Hercules is a he, he could be a she since male and female wood pigeons look the same.
Ian Peters, of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, said: "It is a miracle it could get off the bird table.
"It could be that the gorging has a special explanation in that the birds could be breeding. Wood pigeons can potentially breed throughout the year and they will certainly begin to breed soon after the winter solstice if the weather is mild enough.
"All pigeons have a well-developed crop, enabling the transport of large quantities of food to the young although some food is partially digested and fed to the young in this way."
Squab, anyone? I'll have a drumstick!
Weight Watchers anyone? I think this chap should find some lower calorie food for his friend before he dies of a heart attack.
A prime candidate for gastric bypass surgery.
Says the bird to the lady on the park bench, "Listen lady, don't tell me when I've had enough bread crumbs. I'll tell you when I've had enough."
You think that's bad? Just wait till you wash your car.
Man, I'd hate to park my car under THAT thing.
We need another name for this pigeon's droppings!
"Holy crap! That's a friggin' huge pigeon!"
(click pic properties for a laugh)
"A blue tit tried to get in on the act..."
Here's a bird that really wishes you had gotten the bird garden set at your auction. ;)
He's not fat. He's just big-boned.
"Feed the birds and you know what you get?...FAT BIRDS!"
-Mr. Dawes, Sr. ("Mary Poppins")
Only you can prevent monster pigeons. Step away from the cash register and return the 50 lb bags of peanuts to the shelf. Talk about an enabler!
Maybe he just want to take picture after picture of this pigeon. Talk about obsession!:)
I blame his parents. They probably let him watch unlimited TV and
get little exercise.
The Michael Moore Pigeon
pigeons:rats with wings and feathers.
Whoa!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.