https://www.first-nature.com/fungi/inonotus-hispidus.php

Strange growth first: Noticed a peculiar growth on one of the mature apple trees, provoking online searches and sharing with a friend who delights in all types of nature and wild life (except tories). I suppose this is an indication that the host tree is stressed by the drought and unremitting heat.

Happy growth, but empty nest syndrome; the chicks have fledged. The parent/s have stopped sleeping in the nest, but research indicates they will probably reuse the nest and the fledglings are likely to stay fairly local too. Apparently, woodies are able to see ultraviolet light but there was nothing to explain how this impacts their lifestyle, or even how this is known.

https://birdfact.com/articles/wood-pigeon-nesting

I am sure I shouldn’t be surprised but bizarrely there is quite a lot of folklore about them too. It is maybe less surprising that there are many links labelling them as pests and offering to ‘get rid of them’. Some links were unhappy that the smaller garden birds were missing out on the bird feed put out for them. But my experience is that the bird feeders are positioned so that the pigeons can’t take advantage of them, instead they clean up the gleanings on the ground, which means there is nothing to attract the field rats – that is a huge bonus. I am relieved that they have both survived to fly. It has been a privilege to watch them grow.

The most common pigeon symbolism and spiritual meanings in the ancient cultures that worshipped pigeons were of good luck, divination, healing, peace, and happiness.

https://www.sonomabirding.com/pigeon-symbolism/