So let us see – yesterday was mainly rain and in the afternoon it stopped. That was the big news of the day, but no, it went further. Late afternoon the sun came out, we had blue skies and I could have risked a wheelie in my chair, but it was too late to do anything, so I stayed at home and took some photos in my garden. The stolen hollyhock seeds from the town gardens have really developed well and their colour matches Fridoline, my flamingo.
And now I have an interesting mystery that you can help me solve perhaps. Yesterday late afternoon I was pottering around and heard a bird outside. It sounded like a pigeon, one of the bigger ones, but louder, so I had a look. There it was perched on the top branch of a tall tree outside.
This was a big bird, a very big bird. Yellow beak, layered feather coat and a bit of white. Unfortunately I did not see him fly, but he was back again this morning, same place and same noises. If he was bald, I would have said a vulture, or even some sort of eagle, but eagles have bigger beaks. I asked my other half and he also had no idea. We both searched Internet for big black birds but found nothing. So I ask again, anyone know what it is? We do not live near enough to the alps for the exotic birds. Perhaps it came from the forest, or our near Jura mountain range.
My campanula, bell flowers, or whatever they are called are also back. I planted them a few years ago and they were then quite small. Already in the following year they grew taller and now they flower every year, They are possibly also known as some sort of balloon flower, as the buds resemble balloons until they pop open.
This morning is the first day of a sort of holiday, the only two weeks in the year when Mr. Swiss and I are completely alone as No. 1 son departed this morning for his two week holiday in Italy. I have made no plans to do anything for the next weeks, life continues, but there are now only two people to feed. This week-end the weather looks a bit uncertain, so we will be eating at home. We can really please ourselves what we do, although we are not planning on any big excursions.
And now to bring some action in my day. Whether it is holiday time or not, the place still needs a little home care in between. Have fun enjoy the day, and do not forget my big bird. Perhaps it might be a phoenix getting ready for a big burn up.
Chronicles of an Anglo Swiss 
Big Bird should go back to Sesame Street! He or she has the head of a pigeon, but probably tastes like chicken. What does Fridoline think?
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Fridolin says nothing but just watches. I just want to know what the big bird is. It sits on the top of the tree and chants all day. Nesting time is over so what does he want. I warned my cat Tabby not to go outside.
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Perhaps he wants Fridoline.
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It might have an eye on my cat
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There are a limited number of birds that shape in the world, especially ones that are much bigger than a pigeon — and remember, people cage birds so just because you saw it doesn’t mean it’s local. It could come from anywhere that someone grabbed it. THAT being said, there really are only a few birds that are pigeons shaped and only one I found that might live in Europe/Switzerland called the “Band-Tailed Pigeon which is much bigger than a pigeon, but looks like one:
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Band-tailed_Pigeon/media-browser/480805
I’m you’ll find more locally. It’s hard to find non-American birds in our collections. But there are pictures, so if this looks like your candidate, you might see if you can find anything else. That it LOOKS like pigeon limits what it could be. You are right. It definitely looks like a pigeon and it would seem that anything which looks like a pigeon is related to a pigeon, somehow.
These are all the European pigeons and pigeon-like birds and some of them look sort of like yours, but it’s hard to get information on actual size, so you might check with a local university’s listing. Locally, we get Cornell (in NY) and out west, there are universities with good birding departments, so I’m sure you’ve got one either in Switzerland or somewhere nearby. But remember: It could be an import and NOT native to your region at all. There are some pretty huge pigeon-type birds in Eurasia that have somehow shown up in the U.S. and South America and they don’t know if they got there. Accidentally (blown by a storm?) or brought by tourists … of they just got bored and flew there. They started out in Eurasia, took a long hop to the Bahamas … and can now be found all over North and South America. Birds show up in the damndest places.
https://www.google.com/search?q=European+large+pigeon-like+bird&num=50&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS798US798&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiM4tXeiI7cAhXudN8KHWGRATkQsAQIYQ&biw=1536&bih=732#imgrc=zzM21Z-nN5BQ0M:
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Had a look, but nothing found so far. It sounds like a pigeon, but is really big and black and it’s feathers are sort of layered. If if was bald it would be a vulture
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Note: I also found a recipe for stewing them, just in case you decide to take the big bird down.
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Stewing big birds? This one would not have room in the oven or the pot
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I swear to you that I have pictures to prove that his/her brother/sister/uncle/mum has been sighted in Paris, nr Notre Dame. The pigeon (I always assumed it was a giant pigeon) was so large and heavy that it bent the branch down on which it sat. It looks like a cone when I show the pix around – one thinks this couldn’t exist. And yet it does….. Go for pigeon – they are everywhere anyhow 😉
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The problem is solved it is an Alpinedohle on holiday in the lowlands, they sometimes do that in summer.
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You got a really beautiful picture!
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Thanks
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Certainly welcome! 💝
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