It’s a little known fact that feral pigeons bathe just once a year. On Christmas Day, they gather together at well-known bathing spots for a giant mid-winter splash. One of the most popular locations in Wales is Cardiff Bay and I was lucky enough to witness today’s big event.

The birds take it in turns to bathe from the rocks, then line up on adjacent railings to dry off and preen.

For some birds the cleansing process is so dramatic that they even change colour from grey to white!