Flock in the Mist

This photograph captures the dark silhouettes of ten pigeons gliding across a gray, cloud‑layered sky.

If you're a fan of stunning dove imagery, be sure to explore my photo gallery for a collection of beautiful snapshots that capture their elegance and charm.

https://swede1952-photographs.pixels.com

#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #doves #pigeons #RockPigeons #RockDoves

Good morning. 🕊️🕊️🕊️

3 February 2026

Do you remember how, in the late 1960s and early 1970s, bell‑bottom trousers were just about the only thing you could buy? Even suits came with bell‑bottoms. Some brands tried to soften it by calling them “flares,” but everyone knew what they were. That was simply the way of things. Thinking about it now, I can almost hear a Bee Gees tune drifting in from somewhere. And then, almost overnight, the whole bell‑bottom craze went quiet and vanished. At least that’s how it felt to me. I was a soldier then and mostly lived in uniforms, but I owned a few pieces of civilian clothing. Looking back, the fad was here for a moment and then—poof—gone.

In the 1990s I went to a semi‑formal gathering of Sergeants Major at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. The post straddles the Tennessee–Kentucky line, though the post office sits on the Kentucky side. But back to fashion. At that gathering, old suits emerged from closets, and suddenly there they were again: bell‑bottom trousers, wide‑collar shirts, even platform shoes. Small platforms, thankfully—not the kind with goldfish swimming in the soles. It was the natural result of a room full of middle‑aged men who rarely wore civilian clothes, especially the dress‑up kind. They simply reached for whatever was hanging in the closet, unaware that the world had moved on.

Over the decades, bell‑bottoms have resurfaced now and then in women’s fashion, only to fade again. I suppose the fad could return in full force someday. That’s up to the new generations.

“Every generation laughs at the old fashions, but follows religiously the new.” — Henry David Thoreau

“The years teach much which the days never know.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Each generation imagines itself to be more intelligent than the one that went before it, and wiser than the one that comes after it.” — George Orwell

#photo #photography #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #RockPigeons #RockDoves #pigeons #doves #morning #fashion #bellbottoms

City Royals

Here’s one for the pigeon lovers. These two rock pigeons—Columba livia, if you’re feeling scientific—are regulars in my backyard. I call them officers of the pigeon battalion, part of the morning flock that descends on my bird feeders with military precision. If you look closely, you’ll see what I call epaulets on their shoulders—markings that suggest rank, or at least attitude.

The pigeon in the foreground is easy to spot. He’s got a grizzle effect in his plumage, a genetic quirk that gives him those distinctive white patches. Like camouflage, but for a bird who doesn’t bother hiding.

I used to try discouraging their visits. They’d clean out the seed before the songbirds even got a chance. But nothing worked. So I went with the old saying: If you can’t beat them, join them. Now I just salute and let the battalion do its rounds.

If you're a fan of stunning dove imagery, be sure to explore my photo gallery for a collection of beautiful snapshots that capture their elegance and charm.

https://swede1952-photographs.pixels.com

#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #dove #pigeon #RockPigeons #RockDoves

No Room for Sharing

My new bird feeder isn’t quite as pigeon-friendly as the old one. At most, it comfortably accommodates four pigeons—two on each side. But when a fifth tries to squeeze into the middle, someone always gets bumped. That’s exactly what happened here: the pigeon on the right ousted its predecessor in a swift territorial shuffle. Even then, peace was short-lived. Instead of settling down to enjoy the cuisine, the two pigeons on that side chose to duke it out, turning mealtime into a feathery feud.

If you're a fan of stunning dove imagery, be sure to explore my photo gallery for a collection of beautiful snapshots that capture their elegance and charm.

https://swede1952-photographs.pixels.com

#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #pigeons #doves #RockPigeons #RockDoves

Angel Wings: A Tandem Flight

Two rock pigeons (Columba livia), perfectly aligned one above the other, glide in tandem through the air. There's a painterly quality to the image—a softness and grace that feels almost brushstroked. I can imagine it printed on canvas, where its quiet elegance would truly shine.

If you're a fan of stunning dove imagery, be sure to explore my photo gallery for a collection of beautiful snapshots that capture their elegance and charm.

https://swede1952-photographs.pixels.com

#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #pigeons #doves #RockPigeons #RockDoves

Good morning, 🕊️🕊️🕊️

3 August 2025

Yesterday morning, while I was out filling the bird feeders, I happened to glance up toward the south and saw a lone pigeon flying as fast as it could in that direction. It wasn’t the first time I’d noticed something like this while tending the feeders. Several minutes later, a hoard of pigeons descended on the backyard. In my imagination, that lone pigeon had spotted the food and rushed off to alert the others—probably heading to Walmart, their usual hangout, which lies in the same direction. I like to think it gathered reinforcements and led them back. I don’t fill the feeders every day, partly to discourage the pigeons and squirrels, foolishly hoping they’ll forget about them.

“You have to accept the fact that sometimes you are the pigeon, and sometimes you are the statue.” —Claude Chabrol

#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography#pigeons #RockPigeons #doves #RockDoves

Bath Time Bond

There’s something quietly heartwarming about watching these two rock pigeons (Columba livia) enjoying the birdbath. It’s a gentle reminder that I need to get outside and tend to the feeders. I’ve already skipped our usual Friday Walk—Charlie, my border collie, wasn’t thrilled. Time to get back into the rhythm of things.

If you're a fan of stunning dove imagery, be sure to explore my photo gallery for a collection of beautiful snapshots that capture their elegance and charm.

https://swede1952-photographs.pixels.com

#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #pigeons #doves #RockPigeon #RockDoves

Good morning. 🕊️🫘☕

15 June 2025

The coffee is weak this morning, but I suppose weak coffee is still better than none. Maybe I should have topped off the grinder, or perhaps the lack of bite is because I stole a cup before the brew was finished. Hmmm 🤔 there’s a third possibility—one I hope isn't the culprit. I might have absentmindedly used two coffee filters instead of one. It’s happened before, though not in years. Coffee-related mishaps are not to be taken lightly.

Meanwhile, my head is still foggy from waking up, and there’s a deep crease across my forehead from the straps of my CPAP mask. My scalp looks suspiciously like someone could unscrew the top to swap out the batteries.

So today begins with a whimper.

"Morning is wonderful. Its only drawback is that it comes at such an inconvenient time of day." — Glen Cook

#morning #coffee #pigeons #doves #RockPigeons #RockDoves#photo #photography #photographer #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography

Good morning. 🕊️🕊️🕊️

1 June 2025

I often call Charlie 'Charlie McGee' or some other variation, in tribute to his Scottish heritage. He's a border collie, after all. Of course, he's completely unaware of all that—except for the 'Charlie' part; he knows his name. When we're out in the yard and he wanders off, all I have to do is call, 'Charlie!' and he comes running around the corner. He’s every bit a working dog, always accompanying me when there’s yard work to do. Though his role is more supervisory—lounging in the shade while I cut the grass or, as I like to say in French, 'mow-de-lawn'—a classic grandpa joke. He does his part well. When he first arrived at our home, he spent much of his time trying to herd us around—must be in his genes.

"My fashion philosophy is if you’re not covered in dog hair, your life is empty." — Elayne Boosler

#morning #pigeons #dogs #BorderCollie #RockPigeons #RockDoves #doves #photo #photography #photographer #nature #birds #birding #birdphotography

Good morning. 🕊️🕊️🕊️

25 May 2025

Do you remember G.I. Joe toys? Introduced by Hasbro in 1964, they were marketed as "action figures" rather than dolls, aimed at boys—kind of like Ken, but on steroids. In the 1980s, the figures shrank to about a quarter of their original size, making them more compatible with playsets and vehicles. The G.I. Joe commercial used the tune of "The Army Goes Rolling Along," the official U.S. Army song, which was adapted in 1956 from the 1908 song "The Caissons Go Rolling Along," written by Brigadier General Edmund L. Gruber while stationed in the Philippines. In the original song, caissons were wheeled ammunition carts used by the Field Artillery. Hasbro’s adaptation of the tune featured the lyrics: "G.I. Joe, G.I. Joe, fighting man from head to toe, on the land, on the sea, in the air!"

"Toys are not just objects; they are the building blocks of childhood memories." – Michael Keaton

#morning #toys #pigeons #doves #RockPigeons #RockDoves #GIJoe