Pigeon

Monday

Melanie Ferbreach

The curious history of pigeon-fancying

From our UK edition

Unsociably early one recent Sunday morning, our retired guide dog nuzzled me awake. Half sleepwalking into the back garden with her, I greeted the gentle quiet of the morning, the air still cool and breathable, the ongoing daily dose of stifling heat not yet dispensed. Just the odd pigeon padding about. Well, one odd pigeon. Not one of the usual suspects - bulky, block grey, waddling -here was a delicate, slender creature, striking black and white feathers sleeked across its back, cautiously pecking under the birdseed feeder hanging from an apple tree. A mysterious, ancient world of allegiance, courage and efficiency A closer look revealed each leg was banded - one green, the other turquoise.

Tuesday

Elisa Segrave

The hedgehog and the fox poll highest as ‘the nation’s top animal’

From our UK edition

This is a truly wonderful book, erudite and fun. Karen R. Jones, a kind of alternative David Attenborough, explains her purpose: ‘Charismatic and amazing creatures are not only to be found in distant places. They are here. In our everyday spaces.’ Switching effortlessly and with relish between history, science and anecdote, the author selects ten creatures to represent Britain. Hedgehog and fox are polled highest as ‘the nation’s top animal’. Her other choices may surprise: sheep, pigeon, newt, herring, stag beetle, flea, black dog and plesiosaur.  The largest fox ever recorded, reported by the Daily Mail in 2012, was in Moray, Aberdeenshire, weighing 17 kilos. Foxes mate for life. One in seven cubs die in their first month, and their parents bring them playthings.