From toddlers strolling into view during interviews to all out war in a parish council meeting, the pivot to endless Zoom meetings during the pandemic has led to a growing archive of unexpected interruptions.
But a research officer named Colin Pidgeon catching a live pigeon halfway through a government meeting probably wasn’t one any of us had on our virtual meeting mishaps bingo cards.
In a moment now forever immortalised on Twitter, Pidgeon calmly interrupted a Wednesday meeting of the Northern Ireland Assembly’s Committee for Finance by announcing: “I’ve literally just caught a pigeon.”
Seconds later Pidgeon could be seen picking up the live pigeon – brought in by his pet cat – and apparently moving to release it through a window.
Deputy committee chairman Paul Frew suggested the view of Pidgeon’s screen should be expanded so members of the committee could get a better view of the incident, joking: “We’ll know what type of soup you’re eating tonight, Colin.”
Pigeon fans will be relieved to know that “no pigeon or indeed Pidgeon were harmed during this incident”, as confirmed by a spokesperson for the finance committee itself.
The research adviser was praised for his handling of the unexpected interruption, with Frew commenting: “You kept your composure the whole way through that – amazing.”
“I’ve never been interrupted by wildlife before,” Pidgeon insisted after retuning to his seat.
He later acknowledged the moment online, retweeting a picture of his cat with the caption: “Proud cat owning moment.”