Olly's Release - and MORE sparrowhawk attacks

3rd Feb 12 – Carrying on from where my last blog left off...... There was a body – I found it under the hedge today. The hawk is around first thing, morning, noon and dusk. It made several attempts today – one on the woodpecker – but no kill that I saw or discovered. It went back to both of the dead pigeons – the one under the hedge and the other one. I’ve left the bodies, but even the postman has commented on all the feathers everywhere though I did clear up a bit. It’s dreadfully cold but there was plenty of sunshine and I drag Olly’s crate around the garden a bit, so he benefits from it. Snow is forecast.
Sunday 5th Feb – Snow arrived, and we were blessed with no hawk today! I have caught and ringed a big white dove a while back and have named him Fennie after another regular reader of my blog. I will try and name doves for you all but don’t be sad if something happens to your named dove – it’s a hard knock life in my garden at the moment. See Fennie dove's photo at the top of the blog. It's not easy to get good photos of individual birds at the moment, they are all so skittish because of the hawk.
Charlie, the pigeon saved from the hawk a week ago today is still visiting but seems to have a bad neck - see below. You often see pigeons with thick necks when they are in courting mode (bow/coo) but it shouldn't be like that permanently.


He can’t bend it down to pick up grains easily, but I fill up a higher dish and he can manage with that.

Olly spent the day yesterday in the hospital run and the night back in our conservatory. Today he was left all day and night in the hospital. I plan to release him tomorrow at lunchtime when the day has warmed up and the other doves and pigeons are around.
At bedtime (doves bedtime not mine) I gingerly opened the back of the hospital hutch to put a grille over the exit hole. I didn’t want Olly to rush out again and spend the night outside in the run part. He was crouched in a dark corner but his brown eye caught the light. I won’t forget that beady look in a hurry. This is what passed between us –
Olly – I was born free! It is my birth right!
Me – I know, but I have been looking after you, I wanted to make sure you were totally healed.
Olly – I’m fine now - Release me!
Me - I have been thinking about that, and already decided to let you go tomorrow lunchtime
Olly – (grudgingly) OK
Mon 6th Olly’s release. This morning I organised Olly’s food and water in the run, and then cautiously open the back of hutch and removed the grille blocking the entrance. Olly immediately ran down the ramp into the run. I then decided to move his bowl of feed so it was under the plastic sack on top of one part of the run to keep any rain or damp off it. I opened the hinged section, and reached down to move the bowl, and as I did so, Olly, from wherever he was in the run – watching and waiting – flew fast and accurately out of the gap and straight to the roof! Well, he had foiled my waiting til lunchtime plan and was free. I started towards the house to get my camera, but he looked around for a few seconds then made off again in the direction of the farm and the workshop where he hatched. And that was that!
I was out for the morning, but at lunchtime I spotted him on the edge of the roof - sitting apart from the other pigeons and doves. Not a good photo below, but all I could get.

Mid afternoon the doves came down to feed, and when they flew off, one pigeon was left alone. It seemed slow and was possibly old and I watched it for a while then got on with what I was doing in the house. Some time later I looked outside again, and there was the hawk, right in the middle of the lawn, on top of that pigeon. It was virtually covering it and I assumed the poor thing was already dead, so I went to get my camera.

Then the pigeon moved and I wondered if it was in its death throes, and remembering the piece I put the link to in my last blog (Oh no there’s a hawk on my feeder) I thought oh well it’s nearly dead and was probably old, so I better just let the hawk get on with it. But it was flapping about, and it just isn’t in my nature to get on with hoovering or something while a pigeon is ripped apart and eaten alive on my lawn. I went outside and the hawk flew off, taking the pigeon with it, to just behind the hospital

I went nearer to where they were tussling under the hedge,, and the hawk flew off. I got the net and crawled under the hedge to bring out the pigeon. Amazingly it didn’t seem physically injured, though shocked, not too warm to the touch and quite still. I put it in the carrying box and put that inside the hospital. When I locked Jose up for the night, the pigeon had perked up slightly and I put it loose in the hospital hutch, with food and water, and the grille up to keep it in. I wonder if it will survive the night after it’s dreadful experience. I felt rather shaken myself. I do appreciate that the hawk must eat and in a way I feel bad taking its food away. I wish it would just kill the bird it catches immediately with a swipe of its beak or talons, and then I wouldn’t mind so much. I cut up some raw kidney and put it on the fence, but I doubt if the hawk will take it.
That happened about 3 and at 4pm Olly turned up on the lawn. There was some food left, probably just wheat which the doves like least, but I didn’t dare to go out to take peanuts and corn in case it frightened him off and he didn’t get a meal at all. As far as I’m aware it was the first time he been down today. I had my hand on the door ready to fly out if the hawk came back. Olly look small, bedraggled and a bit of a cast out, but he’s survived his first day out and that’s all that matters.

I never get round to mentioning the other birds in the garden - I love them all! Here's a cute wagtail that seems to have moved in - he's all on his ownio with no mate. He goes nodding around the garden from early to late.

The blue tits and great tits often go into Jose's hutch in the search for peanuts, and sometimes can't find their way out. Jose gets cross and tries to peck them!



Tues – I was out most of the day and when I got back I found the lawn clear of even the wheat and hungry birds on the roof. Hubbie hadn’t got back at lunchtime to feed them. They flew down like wolves with wings and gobbled up everything I threw down. Olly was with them, fully integrated with the flock now, and came running up for the peanuts he had got used to when he was with me. Compared to the others he looks scruffy, a bit oily and with bald patches showing through his feathers, but he seems to know the rules now – keep your head down and stick with the others!
Bobbie, the rescued pigeon seemed quiet and I decided not to release him til tomorrow (this proved a sad mistake!) – read on....
Wed – When I first went into the garden in the early morning, I could see Jose, in her hutch, was very agitated and as soon as I raised her little door, she shot out like a bat out of hell, which was unusual and unlike her. Then I went to get Bobbie – my plan was to put him in the carrying box and check him over before releasing him when the flock was in the garden. I cautiously opened the back of the hospital hutch, ready to pick him up, but there was more light than I expected to see in there, and then I saw that the wooden side panel had been pushed in...... No Bobbie.... and he wasn’t in the run.... then I remembered what my husband had said when I first got up – that there had been a big fox in the garden when he got up for the loo in the night. Poor Bobbie, I felt dreadful, I’d really let him down – rescued from the hawk, to be eaten by the fox! I can only assume and hope that death by fox is quicker than death by hawk. Back in the house I said Did you know? No, said my husband, I just saw the yard light on about 2am and the fox in the garden. No wonder Jose was so upset, she must have heard it all, and maybe the fox made an attempt on her hutch too! I know Bobbie was definitely taken as there were feathers in the yard.
All day, on and off, Jose jumped down from her table and hid under the big garden table, obviously uncomfortable with her home. Whenever I caught her, and put her back on, within half an hour or so she had jumped off again – also unusual for her. In the end I just let her be though I am not totally happy with her under the table in case the hawk spots her. I decided that from now on, at the time I would usually shut her up in the hutch, I will bring her in to spend the night in the crate I bought for Olly in the conservatory, as I suspect the fox will keep coming back. Maybe in the spring when the weather is warmer, and more rabbity food around for Mr. Fox then she can stay in the hutch again – but before then I will have to get hubbie to make it as secure and safe as possible. At least today, we were spared a visit from the hawk!

Foxy calling cards in the snow


And another beautiful visitor - Lesser Spotted Woodpecker

Today is Friday 10th Feb and Olly was released on Monday. He's doing well, is very quick when with the others on the lawn, dodging around for the peanuts, and seems happy with his freedom.

Here he is with some of the others - you can see his bald patch in this photo below. He is very dark and recognisable, especially with his rings. So scruffy, I love him to bits!



Touch wood, the hawk hasn't been around so much. I know it will still be hunting, but hope it has decided that my garden is not an auspicious place!

Below, the garden first thing this morning, snow covered.

To be cont.

NOTE - I know none of my regular readers would take and use my photos, but I noticed one of my photos on another website. My photos are my own - No one has permission to use them.

Olly's Progress - and the sparrowhawk

Day 5 – Fr 27.1.12 – A friend held Olly while I ringed him- a green ring on his right foot and yellow on the left – bright colours as his plumage is so dark. His rings look smart, and make him look more grown-up, and his feathers feel very silky to the touch, though still a bit oily under his wings. It was bright but cold, but I put him, in the carrying box, on the garden table for 20 mins this morning, and half an hour this afternoon. He got excited when he saw the other pigeons and doves, and tried to get out, upsetting his water, so I am pleased he wants to be with them, but he was shivering after those times so I brought him in again. When my husband’s not around, he is loose in the kitchen – and I have to mop up with sprays and paper towels!

He can fly - but doesn't unless I try to catch him! As you can see he flew up to the drying rack over the aga (ignore the cobwebs - I don't have time for boring housework!) Eventually I had to net him which was distressing for both of us.

The crate came this afternoon at quarter to four – delivery was any time between 7.30am to 5.30pm – do you know ANYONE who gets their goods at 7.30am or even any time in the morning? I never do! But the crate is great, just what I need – and i’m looking forward to testing it tomorrow. I have to be out late morning to early afternoon though and definitely won’t be leaving him alone in the garden, even locked in the crate. It’s too cold for a start.Olly – day 6 – A bemused little dark pigeon went out into the garden, in the crate, this morning. He was in his carrying box inside the crate, but ventured out when the other pigeons came down to eat the grain I’d put near the crate. The whole thing went back into the conservatory when I went out, and he had another 40 mins mid afternoon when I came home again.

Olly's crate in the garden, with the hospital and Jose's hutch and table in the back-ground. I moved the doves feeding pans to be near Olly so he could see them.


Olly has a good look round

I didn’t like leaving him in the conservatory for the night – I was worried it would be too cold, but I know I have to accustom him to the cold – he can’t live in my kitchen forever! So he was inside his box, but not locked into it, with a covered microwave ‘bottle’ and a cloth draped over the crate when it got dark. I hope he will be ok.....

The sore place on his back has healed quite well, but it’s quite a big hole – I can put the tip of my little finger in it. Poor Olly, I wonder what happened.
Olly day 7 – Sunday 29th Jan. – Olly seemed fine after his night in our cold conservatory, and went out in the crate in the morning to spend the whole day in the garden, learning about the flock and the surroundings. I brought him in at 3pm, and cleaned out his box and crate. He isn’t tame, which is good, but I have to handle him sometimes to move him about, and his body felt warm, even after all day in the garden, and that means he can thermo-regulate so I feel more confident about him in that way. I also re-anointed the place on his back, but I think it is totally healed so I won’t need to do it again. I don’t think he is ready to be released yet. I think I will know when it’s the right time.
Lola, the white dove that I caught last Sat aft with paramyxo symptoms has spent a week and a day in the hospital, and the last two days has been desperate to get out. I watched her closely today while she ate today, and she could pick up and eat grains easily. I got in to the hospital with her, caught her, ringed her with a green ring, checked her over – she felt warm, plump and strong – and so let her go. She flew immediately and swiftly to the top of the roof, and stayed there for 5 minutes til some pigeons turned up and they all flew away together. I hope I have done the right thing.I did the RSPB Big Birdwatch today – it’s always in January, and I’ve done it for the last few years.. I watched from 7.45am to 8.45am - it's only for one hour.The first bird I saw was the grey wagtail - which is in fact very yellow!Then I saw great tits and blue tits, a robin, the doves and pigeons, of course and 2 carrion crows.Then suddenly the sparrowhawk was there, down on the ground, tussling with a pigeon, right on the patio in front of my kitchen door. I ran out, and they both flew up to the little porch above the door, and the hawk had hold of the pidgie again. Then they were on the low shed roof, a whirl of brown and grey, and then suddenly the hawk was gone and the pigeon was on the ground. I picked it up, it's heart beating madly poor thing, and put it in a box in the shed to see if it would recover.

After an hour or so, I checked the pigeon, ringed it, sprayed it for mites and left it alone again with food and water. It wasn't damaged by the hawk as far I could see.

After another hour, I moved it, in a carrying box with no grille, to the top of Jose's hutch and left it there, still with food and water, of course. It was free to fly away but stayed there all day, seeming to sleep for much of the time. I don’t know if it is traumatised or maybe old.
Late in the afternoon, when a few pigeons were still around and before dark, he seemed to realise the time, came to the edge of the box and flew away. I haven’t seen him since...not surprising, I wouldn’t come back here after an experience like that, would you?

Charlie - rescued from the hawk

Mon 30th Jan'12 – Olly has been with me a week. His days are much the same – he spends all day outside in the crate and I bring him in about 3pm at the moment, into the conservatory. Today I brought him into the kitchen to see if he would fly, but he just stayed on the floor, as usual.
I went up to see the guy who found Olly in his workshop (in an old barn) today. The pigeons had nested on the beam, and the guy – I’ll call him Alan – hadn't wanted them there, but didn’t feel it would be fair to disturb a nest. The eggs hatched in December some time, and the parent birds could get in and out through the open work shop doors during the working day, and through various big cracks and openings at other times. The open drums that Alan stores the used oil in were (and still are) directly underneath the nest. I reckon that Olly took his first unsteady flight or just plummeted straight into the oil. The oil drums are behind other things and it was only by chance Alan saw, and rescued Olly. I do hope he covers the oil drums now, but I don’t count on it. You can’t expect a motor mechanic to feel the same about bird safety as I do!
This lunchtime, as my husband was leaving the garden, we found the results of another sparrowhawk attack by the gate – inches from where Flash died. The victim this time was another lovely big white male dove (unringed). He was still warm, and it had obviously happened while we were sitting in the kitchen having lunch. What can I say? It wasn’t the same as Flash, who I was particularly fond of , but I feel so sorry for these birds. If I wasn’t feeding them, they wouldn’t be here and the hawk wouldn’t come..... but they need to eat.... and so does the hawk... it’s vicious circle, never a truer word was said! Later that afternoon, the hawk came again, and chased the doves, but they got away. I felt it was being a bad day, shut Jose up straight away and much earlier than usual. How can I let Olly free in these circumstances? I can’t. He is too young, too timid and would be gobbled up straight away.
Tue 31st – There was a frost this morning. Charlie (sparrowhawk pigeon) came today. Seems slow, but protected by the flock, he is still going!
1st Feb- Even colder today, the wind is icy. The sparrowhawk was actually on it’s kill in my flower bed when I came home from shopping. Shame I came home at the moment, as obviously opening the gate scared it away and it hadn’t eaten very much of the bird. A pigeon, with wings like Charlie’s and in fact at first I thought it was Charlie until I saw there was no ring. Charlie turned up again later, with the flock. I left the poor pigeon where it was to see if the hawk came back and it did about three hours later! Once the dove/pigeon is dead it just becomes part of the food chain, so better that the hawk eats its fill. I hate all this killing, but there will always be hawks, and there will always be pigeons, and I have to accept it. Anything I used to scare away the hawk would also scare the doves and pigeons. I found this which I thought put the situation well - It's a piece called Oh No There's a Hawk at my Feeder http://www.dvrconline.org/HawkatFeeder.html
I have decided that I will transfer Olly from the crate, which comes in at night, to the hospital so he gets used to living totally outside. But the weather conditions through Feb are indicating to be very cold so I’m not sure when I will do this. He is desperate to get out but I don’t feel he is strong enough yet. I had another look today at the sore on his back, and it’s scabbed over but not totally healed.
Out of interest I counted the doves and pigeons at one point on the roof – 29 white doves, and 64 mixed pigeons, one or two brown, and the main grey, dark grey and nearly black. It’s a large flock, and that wasn’t probably all of them, but if the hawk kills a pigeon a day, or every two days, they won’t last long.
2nd Feb – Extremely cold and I had to be out all day, so Olly stayed in his crate in the conservatory, and Jose had the cage up on the hutch. I am getting almost nervous of coming back to my own garden in case the hawk has left her gory calling card. There were grey pigeon feathers by the gate, but no body. If I stopped feeding the doves and pigeons now, with the weather so coldand natural food scarce, it would be cruel so that's not an option. I suppose I shouldn't have saved Charlie - I should just've let the hawk have him - but I know that every time my heart will rule my head, and if I see the hawk, and can save the pigeon, I will do so - right or wrong. To be cont.

Rescued Pigeon in Oil

26th January 2012 - This is Lesa dove, posing for her portrait on Jose's table, and below with Jose, her flightless friend. Lesa, is one of the first doves in the garden in the mornings, and she flies straight to be with Jose- and eat her food!
Sat 21st Jan. 12 - I came home about 3.30pm in the afternoon, and a few doves were still around. There was one white dove, desperately trying to pick up grain and obviously with paramyxo. I caught her, and put her in the hospital run for nursing care. I hope she'll be like Flash and totally recover. I've named her Lola and will ring her, before I release her, if she recovers.
I forgot to say in the previous blog about Flash, that the very next day after he died there was another sparrowhawk attack. I was coming out of my kitchen door into the garden and there on the lawn was the hawk covering a white dove! I dropped what I was holding and ran out, while the hawk flew off either with the dove in it's talons or chasing the dove, I can't remember it was too quick. I ran out of the garden gate into the yard, where the hawk had the dove down again on the gravel. I ran up, and both flew off, the dove escaping this time, but leaving ruby drops on gravel. I did wonder if it survived but didn't see any doves with injuries until about a week later when a white dove turned up in the garden with feathers missing from it's back - maybe it was that dove, maybe not, but I haven't seen the hawk around here again, thank goodness. I was glad I'd saved that dove, but still so sad I couldn't save Flash. I forgot to say I did cry for him, and kissed his poor little dead head. He still smelled sweet, like all the doves do - it's because they are grain eaters.
Mon 23rd January 2012 - Some of you will remember Hugo, the jackdaw my husband brought home from the farm last year. Well, today, he brought home another bird who had suffered the same fate, in the same place. I couldn’t recognise what kind of bird it was at first it was so covered in oil. My husband has now asked the guy who has the car repair workshop there to not leave pans of oil uncovered in the evenings and weekends, and he has agreed to be more careful. This bird could possibly have been there, in the oil, since Friday night.It's a pigeon - probably a fairly young one. It was smothered in oil, and also has bare sore patches on its back. I have given it several washes over the course of the afternoon, but feel I can't keep washing it! I will have to do it over the next few days - if it survives. It was brought to me at 12.30 lunchtime and its now past 4pm, so I'm hoping it will.

Pigeon after his first few washes, very weak and feeble

I am calling him Olly – can’t call him Oily, and I hope he won’t be oily for ever! He has been warmed up, and when I felt he was thoroughly warm I held him and dipped his beak in water, and he had a little drink.It’s important not to give rescue birds water or food until they are warmed up – apparently if they eat when cold it can kill them. I allowed Olly to walk around on the kitchen floor and he started pecking at a tiny piece of hard pasta he discovered so I offered food – normal dove food plus peanuts, whole and chopped – and he ate a little.

Poor oily bedraggled Olly

Olly day 2 – I got up early and thank heavens he was still alive, I’d had a bad night worrying about him. I held him and gave him a drink, then three ‘baths’ – one after the other – the used water is still very brown and oily. After his baths, I dried him off a little with a hairdryer on a low setting then put him back in the carrying box near the aga to dry off, with food and water.

I was in a dilemma as I was due to go to my daughter’s to look after the baby while she took my grandson swimming. I decided to take Olly with me as he had not taken a drink without me holding him and dipping his beak in water. I found a big shallow flat bottomed cardboard box and lined it with newspaper. He came with me in the car in the carrying box, with a covered hot water bottle (I use the hard round microwave discs that I had from my little dog – they are excellent) and after my daughter had left, I smuggled Olly into the house! If you know my daughter, as some of my blog readers do, then please don’t tell her I was looking after a scruffy oily pigeon at the same time as I was looking after her lovely pink clean baby! While the baby slept, Olly had 5 more washes, then he went in the big box. Part of it was draped with a towel, and he crept under it and slept for a while – then the baby woke up! I had my hands full with one or the other! Olly was taken out to the car again before my daughter and grandson came back, and she was none the wiser!

Olly at my daughter's house - still oily



Back at home, I gave Olly 2 more washes – that’s 10 in all today (and approx 16 so far!) and more than enough for him, and me! It is stressful for him but he bears it well, scrambling about in the water trying to escape. He has a fighting spirit which is good! The last couple of washes the water seemed cleaner, but Olly still smells of oil and looks oily! I don’t really know what to do. Websites about the cleaning of oily birds recommend Dawn, but that is a product from the USA and I doubt if I’ll be able to get any. There is a big American community around here, and a couple of shops stock products from the USA so I will try them tomorrow. At the moment I am using Fairy Liquid. He tries to preen, and that is worrying as he will be ingesting oil.

Back home, near the aga

Still oily after 16 baths!

The worst sore place on Olly’s back doesn’t seem to be infected or getting any worse which is one good thing. Another good thing is that he has been eating this afternoon. He likes peanuts and can eat them if they are not too big. I tried peanuts in skins (brown) and peanuts without (white) and he seems to prefer the white ones. Peanuts are highly nutritious so I am pleased he likes them! He still won’t drink unless I hold him, and dip his beak in water – so I offer him a drink once every hour, and of course there is water in his box playpen. He’ll stay in there all evening, and go in the carrying box to keep him confined for the night.
It’s difficult to say exactly how old Olly is – between 30-40 days, I reckon. He can fly a bit – he flew from the draining board to the floor, but doesn’t fly around. This may be due to the effects of the oil. He doesn’t seem to have ingested the oil, or much oil, thankfully. His first poops were very green – possibly due to what he may have eaten before he fell in the oil or more likely due to starvation. I read a very interesting thread on a pigeon forum about pigeon poop, and Olly’s first poops were exactly like the bright green ‘artist’s paint’ described by one or two knowledgeable pigeon keepers. Olly probably was starving, as he may have spent the whole weekend in the oil pan – I can’t bear to think about it. Thank God he was rescued in time! His poops now are getting more normal looking – brown with a white dollop on top. Sorry if all this is TMI for you! But here’s a link to the thread if you’d like to know more http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f5/poops-what-do-they-really-mean-11637-4.html I also found a thread on how to clean pigeons covered in oil on the same forum – http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f6/pigeon-covered-in-oil-or-something-how-to-clean-42395.html You have to scroll down past the ads on these forum threads to read the posts. I hope they won't mind me putting the links here - I wouldn't have thought so, as anything that might help someone else save a bird's life is always worthwhile, I think.

Olly struggles to get out of the towel



Day 3, Olly is looking cleaner, fluffier and admires his reflection in the aga

Wed – Day 3 – I got up early again but Olly was fine, so I don’t think I will need to get up specially early for him again. I held him and he had a drink of water. About an hour after that, he drank on his own for the first time! I was quite elated! He ate a few peanuts too. Later in the morning I washed him again – that's 18 washes in total! – and the water was virtually clean, so I probably won’t be washing him again. His feathers still look a little oily and he smells of oil, but washing him stresses him, and if nothing is coming off, then it seems pointless. I couldn’t get hold of the Dawn detergent, unfortunately. If I had, I would’ve been tempted to try it to see if it removed any more oil.
I bought some Skin-eze cream for his sore places from the petshop – it says it is suitable for birds and is a known brand (Johnsons) so I will try it – if he will stay still long enough to be anointed.
Olly is timid and doesn’t come out of his box much, unless I take him out. I have to do this as he only seems to eat when I bring him out. Then he eats a peanut or two, and goes back in. I put the cream on his back and he tolerated me doing that.
This evening he was a little more adventurous and jumped to the top of the carrying box, and later to the seat of the chair, where he was hidden by the tablecloth. I put him back in the box at 8.15pm so he was confined for the night, which I felt would be safer. I didn’t want something happening in the night, and him walking or flying into the aga.
Day 4 – I had to be out all day and so did hubbie, so bit of a dilemma. I decided the best thing to do was to keep Jose shut in the hutch all day, and take away her wire cage, which gives her a safe ‘outdoor’ but when I am out, for Olly’s use. While I was sorting things out before I left, Olly flew into the sitting room, off the kitchen, and onto the curtain rail – so he CAN fly! I caught him and I left him in the kitchen, in the cage, on the floor, pushed up against the wall with the carrying box inside it (without the grille of course) and of course with plenty of choice of food, and two little dishes of water. I don’t know what he did all day, but there was a poop on the top of the carrying box so he must’ve jumped up there at some point. It was a boring day for him but I couldn’t leave him loose.
I’ve been reading up on ‘soft release’ of pigeons and how I get on with this will all be in the next blog. I intend to ring Olly tomorrow, and I’ve had an email saying the collapsible dog crate I bought him will be delivered (cost £28.99 total from ebay – Peteurope). He has, of course, totally dried out now, and is a very dark colour pigeon, but not yet fully feathered.
To be cont.

Sad news....

Sat 21st Jan.12 - Very bad news I’m afraid, but later on in the blog. I will continue where the last blog left off.... The photo above is Jose, my dove that can't fly.

Eric, the white dove in the hospital, has died – about 14 days after we first picked him up. He was in a very poor way at the end, as you can see from the photo below, twisting his neck in the manner typical of this horrible illness, and sometimes unable to raise his head.


I was bringing him into the house at night, as it was so cold and frosty, and during the day he was shut in the hutch part of the hospital with a covered hot water bottle. Every couple of hours I went out to offer him a drink, and one time he took a long gulp, and I wondered if he might be on the mend, but a short while later he was dead. Maybe it was for the best.

Since the cote came down, and was re-erected Shanti and Shelby have not returned to it at night. I suspect they roost on the old building nearby instead as they are always two of the first in the garden in the mornings. After a few days Shelby did fly to the top of the cote, but neither of them have been in any of the nestboxes.
11th Jan. ’12 - I had emailed Kootensaw Dovecotes as their website says that the cotes ‘last a lifetime’ and that the wood is treated. My post wood was rotten. I was very upset and annoyed about the whole thing, and my email probably reflected that. A very pleasant lady rang me up nearly a week after the cote came down, and apologised for the delay, saying they had been away. She said that she and her husband were upset by my email, and agreed that the wood looked rotten (I had sent photos). She said that the only thing they could think of was that the place where they get the posts from apparently, in 2006, had to change the way they treated the wood due to EU ruling (before it was later changed again) and she felt some of the wood may have suffered because of the change. She sounded sincere and concerned. As Shanti and Shelby (the doves in the cote at the time) hadn’t returned to the cote she offered to send me a pair of doves. I thanked her sincerely but declined as it would mean I would have to put up the homing net again and that would upset Flash. I also told her that I have a large feral flock here, and some use the cote sometimes. I was pleased she had phoned, taken the thing seriously, and am happy to leave it at that.

That morning when I went out to release Jose and check Eric, there were TWO doves in the cote (in Flash’s old nestbox and not the section Shanti and Shelby had been using) – whether they got here early this morning or spent the night here, I don’t know. I didn’t notice them last night. The first one out was Vim – one of Flash and Omo’s babies born in the summer, and then I had a long wait before the other emerged – and it was Flash! So maybe a bit of an incesty thing might have started there!
13th Jan Flash has spent night here for the last couple of nights, and this morning he is collecting sticks with a female – NOT Vim – and probably Omo. She has very pink feet like Omo anyway and if she stays she will be called Omo- even if she is actually Omo2! Another pair of doves are also collecting sticks for the opposite side of the cote. Now the cote is up slightly differently, it has two ‘eyes’ and a ‘mouth’ and both pairs are in the eyes. Whether Flash will tolerate the other pair remains to be seen. They are not Shanti and Shelby, the unlucky pair in the cote when it came down.
Jose too has a new lover – a pigeon! Flash also courts her, and so does Shelby. The pigeon doesn’t yet know that there is no hope of her flying away with him! She also has a female friend, Lesa – a white dove I ringed with a yellow ring, named after one of my blog readers! Lesa spends quite a lot of time just sitting with Jose or stealing her food so it was easy to catch and ring her. I'll try to capture a photo of her for the next blog.

Flash looking for sticks

Flash with leafy stick

The 13th of January was a good day for Flash, despite being Friday the 13th. It was a frosty bright day and he collected sticks and took some to the cote. I also saw him mate with both Omo and Jose, and he generally enjoyed himself. Happy with the newly erected cote, his females and himself. The next day he was dead.

My lovely daddy dove who recovered so well from paramyxovirus was caught and killed by the sparrowhawk on Sat 14th Jan. ’12. Saturdays are quiet around here, we live in a rural spot by the river, and although there are neighbours and an old building converted to offices nearby, no-one much is around at the weekends - a perfect opportunity for the sparrowhawk. I had gone out, and as soon as I came through my little garden gate and saw the white feathers surrounding the gory body, I knew it was Flash, even before I saw his blue ring. I was quite numb as I gathered him up. Don’t worry, there are no gory photos – he deserves more dignity than that.

Flash's feathers



I arranged his damaged body on a little wicker tray that I use as a bier for special doves, and covered him up to the neck.

Then I brought him the only flowers that the garden offered, yellow winter flowering jasmine (I think it is) a frosted white rose, and one little yellow crocus

I couldn’t bear to dispose of his body then, and kept him for 24 hours before he had the river funeral that all the dead doves have. I spotted a little frosted pink rose bud in the garden, and added it to his flowers. It followed his body down the river. Rest in peace, my bright and beautiful bird. I will remember you always.




I have kept a few of his feathers, including the tail feather with the black flash – which was why I named him so. I will miss him terribly but he died as he lived, a vibrant part of nature. I’m not sorry I had nursed him through his illness – after his release, he had 20 days of glorious freedom.

Below is one of the last photos I took of him - I'll remember him that way

Since Flash and Eric have died, the garden is a little quieter. No doves have been near the cote, except the day after Flash died, Omo went into the nestbox. I hope she finds another mate soon, but I don’t really recognise her as she is pure white. Today, a week since Flash died, a white dove sat on the ledge of his nest box for a while. Maybe Omo again, I don’t know. The too long stick he brought is still sticking out of it, and I haven’t had the heart to remove it. I hope next blog is more cheerful. The dovecote is 'to let' once more.....

To be cont...

Dovecote Disaster!

5th January 2012 - The UK has been experiencing high winds and gales, and this morning when I went into the garden the dove cote had come down! It had fallen, missing Jose’s table, and crashing into the pampas grass. I rushed over, and could see that the section where the doves were last night was underneath, so I rushed back in, yelling for my husband to come and help. He heaved it up and I could see white wings inside, and for a second my heart stopped but then a head popped up and I reached in, pulled out the dove, putting it on Jose’s table. It immediately flew away and thankfully had survived the disaster. I was so distraught that I certainly didn’t think of taking photos then, and didn’t notice whether the dove was Shanti (the female) or Shelby (male- named properly now, but called Red Ring in my last blog). The other one was nowhere to be seen. I burst into tears to my husband’s amazement – he doesn’t understand my emotions for the doves. The cote was a wedding present from my parents – both now deceased – and is very special to me, but more so for the doves that live and breed in it. I can only be thankful there was no eggs or squabs in the cote. Neither Jose nor Eric (new dove in the hospital and more about him later) had been hurt, so I was very grateful about that too. (You might remember there was a pigeon in the hospital right at the end of the last blog – unfortunately that one died).

This was before 8am in the morning, and the doves that visit the garden come in about 8am at this time of the year for feeding. I quickly noticed that both Shanti and Shelby were there, and seemed ok after their shock. Extra peanuts for them of course! Flash hadn’t yet arrived, and as I feel he is still a convalescent I was concerned for him too, after such a windy night – I don’t know where he goes to roost, it could be miles away.
My husband examined the damage and said that the post the cote was on was untreated wood, and had gone rotten. He reckoned that if the wood had been treated properly, before painting, it would not have rotted and therefore would not have broken in the wind. The post was supplied with the cote and I shall be contacting the company that supplied the cote as I am not at all happy, as you can imagine. I will let you know what they say.
Hubby then went off to buy a new post, and rang some lads who work on the farm to come and dig out the remains of the old post, and put the new one in. I am fortunate to have a helpful and capable husband + friends, and by 10am the cote was up again. While it was down I scrubbed down the paintwork and cleaned the inside, spraying for parasites and laying more newspaper in each section (this makes cleaning so much easier at a later stage). I don’t mind the new post – plain wood but TREATED of course – as it blends into the hedge better than the old white one. Unfortunately, it was set not quite at the right angle and the positions of the cote sections have changed slightly – by one ‘turn’ as it were. I don’t know if Shanti and Shelby will come back to it tonight, or whether they have been put off it for life. It’s such a shame, they were such a cosy little pair, cuddling up at night together in the same bit.
I took some photos and here’s the garden with the new post up (above) and showing the rotten wood below.

While I was cleaning the cote, Flash turned up on the hedge near me. He is a curious and intelligent bird.

Flash surveys the damage,above and below

He watched for a while then purposefully walked off round the hedge and picked up a stick. I think this was his way of telling me to rebuild his nest, or perhaps his way of helping!

Twenty minutes after the cote was back up, Flash was on the hedge again, looking up at it – he then flew up to one of the back sections, stayed in there for a minute, then came out and investigated one of the side sections, before coming out of that one too.

Flash wonders if this is ok

He settles in the back section for a short while


Flash flies up to his old favourite nest box......


and peers in

He stayed in the doorway looking in for a while and then came out and went off to court Jose on her table. Another white dove, neither Shanti or Shelby, came to sit on the top of the cote, and he flew to see it off, so he obviously still considers the cote his and worth defending.
Shanti and Shelby haven’t been near the cote today, as far as I am aware – though Shelby has been on Jose’s table. I can only wait and see whether they come back to it tonight or not. The poor things, I have no idea what time the cote crashed down, whether one flew out as it did so, or managed to wriggle out through the opening and through the pampas grass when it was down, and how long the other was trapped in there – it may have been hours. I wouldn’t blame them if they never want to use it again.
A quick note about Eric – My husband picked a white dove out of the flower bed on Tues. 3rd Jan and put it in the hospital with food and water while I was out. In the afternoon, I brought him in, sprayed him for parasites and ringed him with a green ring. Husband was allowed to choose his name – I wouldn’t have chosen Eric! He might be Erica of course, I don’t know yet. He didn’t seem to be able to fly, and as the wind was so bad I put him back in the hospital, with carefully chosen small grains, peanut sprinkles and vitamins . The vitamins I use are called Natural Vitamineral , a pinkish powder that I put in small pots. It contains minerals and vits A, D and E, amongst others. I bought it online but it comes from Natural Granen from Antwerp and they supply my preferred grain mix. That night Eric sat at the top of the ramp but didn’t go into the hutch. When Flash was in there, he sat in the door way of the hutch, peeking out, like the doves in the cote do, and eating and drinking from the pots inside the hutch. From the clean state of the newspaper in the hutch, I can tell he (Eric) hasn’t even walked in there. He is obviously not used to being confined. I will of course give him another chance to fly away, but not til the high winds have died down. I hope by then he will have recovered from whatever happened to make him end up in the flower bed. I did see the hawk that day, and it is possible she had caught and covered him and was disturbed by my husband – having said that there were no talon wounds on him. Sometimes a day or two’s rest with good food is enough to help a dove or pigeon to recover.

Eric in the hospital run

To be continued