Rock Dove: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, February 2026 — I was down along the river behind the dunes looking for whatever might be out on a cold February day when these two flashy, fair-sized birds flew across my view and circled in to land right by the path from parking to the beach. I was excited until I saw them take their first steps on land. That pigeon strut is unmistakable. Still, the Rock Dove in all its variations is a handsome bird, and these two seemed to be more handsome than usual. So much so that I kept trying to convince myself that they were something more special than pigeons. As it turns out, both birds are very close in plumage to the actual ancestral population of wild Rock Doves, in the cliffs of Europe, Northern Africa, and Western Asia. Probably throwbacks, in a relatively small local population without a lot of genetic variation. Still Rock Doves though. Sony a7CR. Tamron 150-500 at 750mm equivalent field of view (APS-C crop). Program with bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.