David Steel posted: " An Isle of May Pigeon Wednesday 31st August comments: Something you may not consider when thinking about the Isle of May is of our humble Wood Pigeons which nest on the island. Wood Pigeons were just migratory on the Isle until it all changed in 2" Isle of May National Nature Reserve
Wednesday 31st August comments: Something you may not consider when thinking about the Isle of May is of our humble Wood Pigeons which nest on the island. Wood Pigeons were just migratory on the Isle until it all changed in 2015 when two pioneering pairs took advantage of the elder bushes on the island and bred successfully. Since then the population has maintained itself with the number of pairs increasing to four.
However in recent years there has also been a shift in the use of the habitat on the island as we are generally a treeless island so the birds have adapted and are now nesting on the ground. In the last seven days a total of four nests have been discovered but interestingly two of these are on the ground. With no ground predators such as fox or rat, then this is a perfect strategy and with the only other potential risk gone (the large Gulls have departed the island) then this is a good idea which will hopefully end well (we'll keep you posted). Ground nesting has been recorded in birds in the U.K but to what extent, we are unsure but will do some research. Overall it just shows the different uses of the island by different species and the importance of the place to a wide diversity of birds.
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