Big Boy's Release - and I think more about Echo and Cissie's futures

Sat 15^th – Sugar was with the morning flock – well done little Sugar, it’s been a dreadful few days with wind and rain but you have managed to keep up!

Sun 16^th – Still no Lucky, though Charm was here again. This afternoon hubby cut off Big Boy’s racing pigeon ring with wire cutters – the metal was pretty tough!

I suppose it may well be against the law to remove a racing pigeon’s identification ring but as his owner didn’t even care enough to send an email or make a phone call to find out how his pigeon was, then I feel justified. As far as the owner and RPRA are concerned then pigeon number GB13XXXXXX has died – and you and I know he has been born again as Big Boy, my pigeon and a free agent (when I can release him). His bit of ‘wobbly beak’ was there at the morning feed and gone by the afternoon one. I plan to hand feed him up to the day of release, but from tomorrow will also put a bowl of food in the hutch for him to see how he gets on. I really do think his beak is a lot better, it looks much cleaner where the infection seemed to be – but it is still skew whiff and I don’t know if he will actually be able to feed himself or not. Today, for the first time I saw him take a long drink from his water bowl which means I no longer have to attempt to give him drinks.

Mon 17^th – Lucky’s been missing long enough for me to wonder if something has happened to him – especially as I see Charm at least once a day. Bertie keeps visiting - here he is eating a bit of potato on the lawn that I'd thrown out for the birds.

 I am soooo looking forward to being able to release Big Boy – he is so patient and good, he really is. We are both counting down the days now. I put a bowl of grain in the hutch with him today, and it was strewn everywhere so he must have been having an attempt to feed himself. I try to vary his temporary boring existence – he is in the hutch for part of the day, then I bring him into the kitchen to perch loose above the aga for a while, then he goes in his night box to be with the others in the conservatory, before they all go to bed in the spare room. I can only have him with the others as I am assuming as a former racing pigeon he was inoculated against PMV. Today I decided to give him a bath – in my actual bath – but after he’d paddled a bit and I’d splashed him all over, he wouldn’t let me take a photo but flew up to the door frame, as you can see. 

Then he went – or rather I took him - into the kitchen to dry off. I bought the pidgies, Echo and Narcissus, some presents – a mirror each, and a wood and bell toy for Echo who is more curious and active. They’ll get them after I release BB and clean/sort the cages out.

 I have an idea in my head, to try to get Cloud and Cissy living in together (in the hutch outside), as they seem to like each other but so far have only sat each one side of a metal cage so I am not quite sure how they will react if I put them in together. I am still considering Echo and Cissy’s futures of course – with them in mind I drew out an Angel Card – and it was this one.

 It says 'Adriana - I am leading you towards the answer to your prayers. Please listen to and follow the steps I am communicating through your intuition, thoughts and dreams'. Very appropriate I thought. My blog reader 'Hopeinparis' suggested that I could make a decision to run a small bird rescue/sanctuary but a main reason against this would be that we don't own the cottage and garden, we rent it, and I don't think our landlord (let alone my husband!) would like the idea. Another of her suggestions was to send the birds to other sanctuaries, and I have been looking into this. My search took me to  Save the Trafalgar Square Pigeons and although they cannot help me, they pointed me in another direction to some ladies who might be able to do so. Please do spare a few minutes to look  - it is a super little interesting website, and if you have wondered about the fate of these iconic pigeons after Ken Livingstone waged war on them, you will be able to find out. And if you ever enjoyed feeding the pigeons when you were a child (or an adult!) then please consider making a small donation (via paypal so very easy!). I will certainly be doing so myself. And I have put my email address down to receive their newsletter. I enjoyed looking at the photo gallery there - I must search my old photos and see if I've got any of my children in Trafalgar Square, I remember taking them and how much they enjoyed it. I was there last October, and it just isn't the same without the pigeons - made me sad! Any time I go to any town I am always looking out for the pigeons. I'd rather look at and photograph town pigeons than window-shop. The following was sent to me by Hopeinparis -  At artist Zina Saunder's "Overlooked New York" cool website visit http://www.overlookednewyork.com/pigeon/index.html

Click on the thumbnail art portraits to read about each profile of keepers of pigeon racers and homers in New York - fascinating! And Hopeinparis herself has some gorgeous photos of pigeons and doves on her pinterest board http://www.pinterest.com/hopeinparis/pigeons/ plus she has recently put the following on Youtube - a video of Hope the baby wood pigeon being fed by her father, set to Debussy's "Reverie." 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8ban8gkiww

Something I meant to mention a blog or two ago was that I had these two beautiful little characters knitted - as a present to myself! The clever knitter was Beki Wetherall from 'Clicking Pins' - have a look at her website - she doesn't just knit pigeons! Knitting projects undertaken

Knitted pigeon and white dove from Clicking Pins

Real white dove with knitted one!

 Above, Cloud with the knitted white dove and below, Narcissus with the knitted pigeon

Beki suggested I also credit the pattern writer - well I don't know exactly who created the pattern, but I bought it from madmonkeyknits on ebay. To find the pattern, search for 'My pet pigeons knitting pattern'. I hope all these links work!

You will probably be getting the vibe that I have no intention of taking Echo and Cissie for a one-way trip to the vet - I just can't do it. Hubbie, despite moaning sometimes about the pigeons, doesn't think it would be fair either. Below is Echo relaxing in his box in his crate - when I talk to him he still flutters his wings in the babyish way that young squabs do to attract the attention of their parents. Since he was so very young (I think!) when I first took him in, he has assigned me the role of 'mummy', and how could I have my 'baby' put down?

Tues 18.2.14 – 3pm another attempted hawk strike but as I just happened to walk out of the back kitchen where I was mopping the floor at that moment, the lucky pigeon got away. If the hawk and it’s babies are hungry then another won’t be so fortunate. I re-ringed Big Boy with a plain light green band on his right leg – at the moment I would recognise him but if in the future his beak mends enough to look normal, then with the band I will always know.

So yesterday was a bath, today was re-banding, and tomorrow I will give him a spray against lice before his Big Release Day on Thursday. The weather is forecast poor on Thursday but I think I will release him anyway....unless it is appalling. He is so desperate to go!

Wed. 19.2.14 – Just one more day Big Boy, one more day! I was out for much of the day so didn’t have to endure seeing him hunched in the hutch. I didn’t get a chance to spray him against lice, so will have to do that in the morning before he goes. Guess who was at the morning feed? A very hungry Lucky! I was pleased to see him as I don’t have any issues with him (just with his mate, Charm, for leaving the babies).

Thursday 20.2.14 – Big Boy’s release day! Only mizzling a little bit. I gave BB the last of his medicine, fed him 60 grains/peanuts/defrosted warmed peas instead of the usual 40 per feed. I didn’t anoint his beak with honey this morning as obviously I didn’t want him to be leaving with a sticky beak that might cause problems – so the only thing to do was a quick anti-mite spray under the wings, on the back and breast (with his head lightly covered) and a few photos....

To make it easier to see if there is any improvement - the first photo below is of Big Boy on the 11th Feb and the second one is today, 20th Feb. I definitely think his beak looks better, don't you agree?

The flock had already had some grain when we went into the garden, but were still around. They seemed settled, and I hoped the hawk wasn't nearby. BB knew, he really knew, that he was allowed to go at last. I kissed the top of his head – God Speed Big Boy! Then he quivered and flew straight up to the roof. You can see him here - back row, in between the brown pigeon and the white dove.

 And here - having a little jump of glee!

The homies had a more interesting afternoon than usual. Now that BB had gone I wanted to have a big clean up, so I  washed out his box and put clean bedding in – ready for anyone who might need it. Then, as the sun was shining with a bit of poke in it, I took Cissie out to the hutch to see if Cloud would accept having her in with her. Cloud always sits near Cissie in the conservatory, and they seem companionable so it was worth a try, especially because if Cissie can eventually NOT be released then having two birds in together, outside, is far less work for me. (The hutch gets messy of course, but it can be hosed out).... and I’m thinking, surely it is better for them, as pigeons are flock birds. So, I said to Cloud, please let Cissie come in with you....be nice! 

I kept one eye on the hutch outside while I cleaned out the crate and boxes in the conservatory – having moved Echo to be loose on the table where he watched me with interest. Although Cloud was making her semi-aggressive head swiping movements towards Cissie, she didn’t physically attack her, and I am hoping, little by little, to integrate them together. Eventually she (Cloud) got bored of head-swiping and moved to the outside part of the hutch to get some fresh air and sun.

I’m not sure what Cissie thought of it but she didn’t seem perturbed. Then, for the first time since I brought him in on December 19^th, I took Echo out into the garden, and put him on the lawn. I have carried him out a few times, wrapped in a cloth, in my arms but now he is over the 6-8 week period that the virus takes to die (according to what I have read) hopefully he is not infectious any more (unlike Cissie who has another month or so to go).

 Above - Echo is put on the lawn - looking very small next to my big shadow! 

 He looks normal for a while, til he goes into star gazing mode below

 Here Echo looks coy!

 and now he's curious!

 I assumed that he, like Cloud, would not be able to fly - until he surprised me and took off, turning somersaults and landing in the pampas grass! (Better that than the river!!!) The fact that he wants to fly, and can fly (albeit all twisty-turvy) gives me a glimmer of hope that he might possibly spontaneously recover - as some pigeons have been known to do

 Here he is on the lawn with some of the flock - he's next to the white dove

 And just as my nice My Hermes lady comes up the path, Echo goes all floppy in my hand again

Then it was Echo's time to go inside, and Cloud's turn to walk on the lawn

 Back inside the clean cages, I show Echo his new toy - which he ignores

 And Narcissus takes no notice of her pretty little self in her pretty little mirror either!

I have realised what is 'wrong' with Cissie's eyes now - and the answer is probably nothing much except that they are odd i.e. mismatched. This is her right eye - which doesnt appear quite so light and bright in ordinary daylight....

and this is her left eye, which is browner and slightly hazier...but not as cloudy as the photo - and I think she can see perfectly well.

Friday 21st Feb 14 - Cissie has another hour out in the hutch with Cloud this morning, and much the same happened - so far, so good (if not perfect). I haven't seen Big Boy since his release and hope he's enjoying the freedom, the sunshine and managing ok. I also haven,t seen Sugar for quite a few days, and I'm afraid a little dovie like her probably might not have survived, which is a shame as she is such a sweetie. One day in the week Dolly (Fennie's white sibling) arrived with straw wrapped round one of her feet. I wasn't too worried, though string/threads etc round birds' feet is extremely dangerous, as I thought it would soon drop off, and it did, but it shows the pigeons and doves are accessing farms and hopefully finding a proportion of their food elsewhere.

I don't want to bore you but mentioning my little feather shop on Groovycart on my blog brings it up on Google so I will try to remember to mention it every blog (sorry!) - see Real Birds Feathers on Groovycart. I have also just started a mini-blog there too and written my first (about the uses buyers have found for my feathers). Real Birds Feathers - Groovycart shop 

To be cont...

Poppet and Big Boy - and my dilemma for Echo and Narcissus

Friday 7^th Feb – Definitely a bird day today – bad....and good. First thing I found when I stepped outside, still in semi-darkness, was a nuthatch on the ground under the feeder. I took a photo, and watched to see what it would do.

It seemed happy enough eating little morsels on the ground, and then hopped away into the winter flowering jasmine until I could no longer see it.....but when I went out again, there it was, not making any attempt to fly away, so I picked it up and popped it into the hutch with a fat ball, crushed peanuts and water, until I had time to deal with it. I then prepared Poppet for her release, making sure she had a drink, and managing to hand-feed her a few peanuts for energy - which she resisted as always. The flock didn’t seem jumpy, so I hoped the hawk wasn’t about and they settled down on the roof, just as I released Poppet. She is the pigeon lower on the roof than the rest.

Within half an hour as the flock was feeding on the ground, I was suddenly aware that the hawk had brought a pigeon down to the flower bed.....oh no, I couldn’t see the ring in the flapping tussling pair but I knew it would be Poppet. Unerringly the hawk had picked out the smallest, weakest bird... I was holding Cloud but I quickly thrust her into the doorway of the shed kitchen and rushed over....the hawk dropped the pigeon, but picked it up again and flew down over the hedge to the yard.....I followed and it flew off, with the victim flapping weakly on the ground. It was too late this time, the shock and the hawk’s claws had done their worst, and Poppet died in my bloodstained hands before we reached the house. I felt dreadful – why oh why hadn’t I waited and released her at lunchtime.....but when she was caught before it was the afternoon.....I’m afraid Poppet’s destiny was to be caught by the hawk. I felt so guilty that I nearly didn’t put this episode into my blog, but what is the point of writing it at all, if I am not honest? The flock of course had scattered, not to be seen again for hours.... 

After a while I put Poppet’s body on the low roof of the shed kitchen for the hawk to find. She was dead now so he might as well. Poppet and I hadn’t bonded, but I didn’t want it to end like this.....though somehow it seemed like I had always known it would.... RIP little thing, fly again in heaven.  I checked on the nuthatch – it was now crouched in the darker part of the hutch, and not looking good, then I had to leave for my dentist appointment. I obsessed all the drive about how I’d let Poppet down, until a Beatles song came on the radio and I decided to ‘Let it Be’.

The dentist has an upstairs room with a big circular window on the landing, and as I passed, the cutest tiniest bird was peeping in and popping about – I didn’t know if it could see me, or maybe just it’s own reflection, but it was a bird I didn’t recognise.  When I looked it up later I found it was a Goldcrest – Britain’s smallest bird. Such a little bundle of fun, seeing it cheered me up! Apparently it’s widespread but in all my nearly 57 years I don’t think I ever saw one before.

When I came home, the nuthatch was dead. Maybe it was just at the end of it’s natural life – or maybe it had banged against the window, but there wasn’t a mark on it. Another little life ended. The rest of the day passed uneventfully, thank goodness.

Sat. 8.2.14 – So unfair to the unlucky Poppet that the hawk didn’t put in an appearance at this morning’s early feed – why couldn’t that have happened yesterday? Why couldn’t Poppet have had at least one day of freedom and flying? Big Boy arrived and seems to have difficulty eating again. Possibly the damaged beak is growing out in such a way that makes eating awkward – like a damaged nail that grows bent. He flew off with the others, but hopefully if he really can’t eat I will be able to capture him again.

I have had a revival of interest in my little feather shop on Groovycart with a few orders coming in recently - if you'd like to have a look then go to www.groovycart.co.uk  and find me at Real Birds Feathers (but sorry I don't post feathers outside the UK) and if by any chance you want to open your own Groovycart shop, selling crafts or whatever, then see the link to click at the top of my blog - underneath the header photo.

The hawk had returned to Poppet’s body yesterday but today I removed it from the roof, and had two little funerals, with flowers – one for her and one for the nuthatch. It doesnt matter how damaged or soggy the body, they still get a respectable funeral. The nuthatch looked sweet, wrapped in a white piece of kitchen paper with it's head peeking out, not looking dead at all - what a shame!

I weighed the pidgies – Cissy 324g – down 1g – and Echo 351g – down 4g – but I think they are both reasonable weights now and will fluctuate a little, and  I don’t think I need to keep weighing birds that are over 300g.

Sun 9.2.14 – All through yesterday – when it rained incessantly – I could see that BB couldn’t eat again and I was getting worried about him. Today he kept turning up, oblviously very hungry and puzzled why he couldn’t eat, and after several tries, I determined that the next time he was there I would only throw the food, including lots of tempting peanuts, at my feet – and did so, and thankfully caught him about 2.30pm – so a week and a day after release, I had got him back again. It seemed strange that although I had seen him daily in the garden and on the roof, I had no idea where else he’d been, how far he’d flown or where he had roosted at night. Wrapped firmly in a cloth so he wouldn’t flap, I had a look and the swelling that my blog reader Fennie had noticed had got bigger and was obviously making it impossible for him to pick up any type of food.

There was a palpable feeling of relief surrounding him and me as I fed him peanuts and grains dipped in water – poor Big Boy! Thank you for trusting me again. Then I removed Cloud from the hutch and brought her into the conservatory, so I had somewhere to put him til bedtime – and now Poppet is so unfortunately dead, he can go back in his usual night box. The Royal Pigeon Racing Association – RPRA – had said in their letter that if BB’s owner failed to contact me, then to contact them again so that they could make alternative arrangements. At the bottom of the letter they gave the name and number for my nearest pigeon fancier – I thought about it for a while, as I am unsure about how I feel about giving BB up to anyone other than a concerned owner – but I decided I could at least phone...... the number proved to be ‘not recognized’ .....back to square one! then I went back to my emails from the RPRA strays team where I’d been given an email address for a local club. Do I email or not? What are my options? – BB obviously needs help, maybe antibiotics – I may well contact the vet tomorrow and deal with it myself because this will mean when he gets better he can be released back again to the wild (which I would prefer) as opposed to being given to a pigeon fancier who may well decide in the end to destroy him or keep him forever shut up in a loft. After I’d fed him, I weighed him – should’ve been the other way round really – and he was 491g – down from 493g the first time I weighed him on 26^th January, but that’s not too bad at all really.

Monday 10^th Feb 14 – The hawk dive-bombed us during the morning feed – if it caught a bird it wasn’t in the garden or yard outside. I saw a few favourites briefly – Grace, Bandit, Mr. Strong....but the hungry birds hardly got a few mouthfuls before the hawk scattered them. I was pleased to see plenty of poops in Big Boy’s night box – a bit dry though. I rang the vets and got an appointment for him tomorrow morning. I won’t be contacting any pigeon fanciers until I have seen what I can do – I can’t see that they would do more for him than I would. Last year when I took Patience to the vet, I very quickly received 2 x £25 from the premium bonds – almost the exact amount I’d paid out! So I am hoping that the Universe will be generous again this year to help to cover BB’s costs! He is a magnificent pigeon and trusting of me so I have to do what I can for him.

Later – The inside of BB’s beak is pretty swollen and feels slightly heated – there is just enough room for me to gently push defrosted warm peas, grains and peanuts down. I’m not really sure how well he is able to drink, but I am doing my best til we see the vet. I am determined he will get better. If I could remove his ring I would do so as I don’t feel his owner deserves to have him if he ever returned there, but obviously they are not made to come off easily (will speak to hubbie about this)

Tues 11.2.14 – Big Boy was very calm even when the vet manipulated his beak. He confirmed that he has an infection and prescribed him antibiotics for 10 days. He also said that the damage was probably due to a trauma but couldn’t rule out the possibility of a tumour. He hopes if the infection is brought under control then the beak might heal well enough for BB to be able to adapt to eating alone somehow – unless it is a tumour of course. The antibios are given with a little syringe and I gave it to him as soon as we got home. Cost of visit £33.82. I talked to the young lady assistant when I paid the bill about racing pigeon owner's. She said she found a racer that couldnt fly at her boyfriend's and contacted the RPRA, being given the owner's number. He told her to 'just release it' ....'but you don't understand' she said 'it can't fly'.... 'Oh just release it' said the owner 'it will be ok'.....'but don't you think I should look after it for a few days?'....'if you like' said the owner, obviously not caring. So she did, and it died within a couple of days. The people up at the poultry farm say they have given up reporting stray racers to the RPRA for this reason - they have a huge barn there and obviously there is grain around for the poultry, so there is food and shelter, and sometimes a pigeon will stay awhile but they can't do any more for them.

Racing pigeon with damaged beak

The afternoon was sunny so he was in the hutch, and I opened the door so he could go into the outside part for the first time. He investigated it but soon realised he wouldn’t be able to get out, so preferred to sit inside At least he gets some fresh air and sun (when there is some sun!)

Some white doves turned up bringing a blue ringed one with them –  for a silly second my heart stopped and I thought it was Santa, until I remembered that he had two blue rings (and almost definitely didn’t make it) so I have to assume it is Bianca who I haven’t seen for ages, but she has gone before for periods of time and then come back. Excellent!

I gave Cloud a bath - here she is drying off in the kitchen. She has a dirty wing, probably from fitting in the garden when I take her out in the mornings. It didnt wash off, and you can't scrub a dove!

Bedtime for all the homies is around 4.30-5pm, with Cissy going to bed first, as she tends to zonk out earliest. I like Big Boy to be in bed before Echo and Cloud as they usually make a noise and I feel this is reassuring to him – to know he is with his own kind. Cloud and the pidgies have their boxes in a row on the shelf, but Big Boy is high up in a box on top of an upturned bed frame (that we need to burn when the weather is better)

 Left to right - Narcissus, Cloud and Echo - with Big Boy below

 Bertie the cat is currently visiting but is not allowed near the birds of course

Wed. 12.2.14 – Dreadful gusty rainy day and I kept all the homies inside in the conservatory.

Thurs.13.2.14 – Sunny and bright so BB went in the hutch today, though it’s lonesome for him, and he watched the flock wanting so much to be with them. I say to him ‘Big Boy as soon as you have finished your antiobiotics then you can go!’ (a week today that will be!) – and that is true.... even if his beak/swelling is not better I will release him so he gets some freedom at least for a while. Then if he can’t eat he will come back, and I will just stuff him full of peanuts and let him go again. Better to live that way for however long, than sitting in the hutch. There is a damaged piece just hanging on by a thread now, like a child’s wobbly tooth but I will leave it to come off naturally. After his meds and his food/drink, I am still anointing his sore beak with honey as that contains a little bit of magic! Sometimes when I collect him for feeding, he has a mouthful of feathers because he has been trying to preen – poor old thing, I must give him a bath in a day or so.

Big Boy with feathers caught up in his poorly beak

Cloud and Cissy seem happy in each other's company - making me feel that I am right in thinking that Cissy is another female. When Cloud is in the conservatory she often chooses to sit near Cissy, and definitely not near Echo!

Below Bertie enjoys the real fire - but I am planning to take him back home tomorrow morning early as his other mummy gets in such a state if he is away too long.

Fri 14.2.14 – Valentine’s Day is supposed to be the day the birds pair off, but though a few brave pigeons were billing and cooing on the roof, most of them sat hunched up in the rain as it lashed down. I brought Big Boy in from the hutch at 10am to spend the rest of the day in the conservatory. I think his beak is a little better – or am I imagining it? Below he is up on the drying rack above the aga and I climbed on a chair to take the photo. His facial feathers are wet as I had just given him a drink.

The hawk and the weather keep the birds away, and they arrive only in small groups. I haven’t seen Sugar or Lucky for a few days now, though I have seen Charm. We will just have to see who has survived at the end of this difficult time. I am very much thinking about all the homies futures. Cloud's is assured - I will keep her for her lifetime. Big Boy is being released as I said above, and I hope he will be able to manage. Echo doesnt look like he will ever recover enough to be released a - he is more unco-ordinated than Cloud and shows no sign of improvement. I've had him nearly two months now. He is appealing, has quite a cheeky personality, still flaps his wings in a babyish way when he sees me and I talk to him, tries to feed himself, drinks alone and moves about his crate a lot, making the most of the day. The trouble is - having 'another Cloud' means double the work, though it would be easier if they would agree to live together in the hutch. This is Echo - just before bedtime one day.

Narcissus doesnt star gaze and have fits like Echo and Cloud, but she is very very quiet - I have never heard her make one single little sound. She doesnt 'speak' when I get her out of the box, pick her up, feed her - ever! Mostly she stands or sits on her microwave hotwater bottle (snugglesafe) - occasionally I have seen her try to feed herself, but I have never seen her attempt to drink. She is 'other wordly' and I worry about her eyes, but I do feel that maybe she will recover enough to be released eventually - I've had her for about a month. I can't really cope with 4 homies, time wise....but what are my options for Echo and Cissy.

1. Keep them forever

Like I say I haven't got the time on a daily permanent basis, and if they don't recover they only have a limited quality of life, but that of course is the same as Cloud. The conservatory is not a suitable place in the summer either as it becomes like an oven. Also, next year there would be other pigeons suffering from PMV.... and so on. I can't keep them all!

2. Try to re-home them

I don't think it would be very easy to find homes for two special needs pigeons. And I would be very concerned that they would not be looked after properly - or someone might take them with the intention of using them for something awful (let's not go there)

3. Have them euthanised

This is something I shy away from thinking about as I am fond of both of them. Obviously I have had to go down this route a few times with pets who are suffering but this is different - the birds are not suffering, but they can't live properly as birds - they can't fly and they can't feed themselves properly.

If anyone has any thoughts on all this I would be pleased to consider them! I am going away at the end of March - just for a few days, but hubby will cope with Cloud, like he did last year, but he has not got the time, inclination or patience to look after 3 of them - and if he doesnt then I will have to pay someone to do it - and hand-feeding PMV pigeons is not for the general run of the mill pet-sitter - and I have no idea how much they would charge.

To be cont...

The hawk reigns....

Friday 31^st Jan 14 -  After the main morning flock had gone, guess who turned up on the roof? See the little white dab? That’s Sugar!

 Well done darling you made it back – so clever!

She was soon joined by a few pigeons, and I was glad because a lone dove or pigeon really does look alone, and is vulnerable but she didn’t come down to eat til nearly midday. She can eat well, and keep up with the flock, more or less, so I am pleased that a warm night’s rest chez nous helped her. There’s another little white dove about and I am wondering if it is her sibling?

The hawk brought down a pigeon, just on the patio in front of the cottage door - when I opened the door they both flew off, so that was a lucky pidgie that day!

I see my parent doves for the morning feed, Lucky and Charm, and Snow White and Rose Red, but they don’t stay round the cote. RR seems to be showing some PMV symptoms..... it’s endemic in feral flocks I’m afraid.

Saturday 1^st Feb 14 – Sugar and her possible sibling were here with the morning flock. I’m glad I was able to ring her as now I can recognise her and she will become one of my little favourites! I’d recognise her anyway at the moment as she is smaller, and still a bit babyish looking and muddy, but soon I hope she will grow up to be a big strong pure white bird.

I have had Big Boy now for a week - Though he doesn’t particularly like being in the hutch – he doesn’t flap about too much but I can sense it – he has accepted the situation and I hope the rest and hand given food is helping his beak to heal. I have been told that if I do not hear from the owner by Tuesday next then I can contact local pigeon clubs, and have been given two numbers. I feel that if the owner doesn’t get in touch, and obviously doesn’t care, then I am not sure if I want to give him back to someone else. I may see how he can cope if set free – if he couldn’t eat then I am sure I could recapture him again. And if he can’t eat alone, what pigeon fancier is going to want him anyway? And if he does manage then he has the option of flying back to his original owner, or staying with the feral flock (much more fun!)

I had got BB up, fed him and put him in the hutch by 8.30am – and typed up the above – but by 10am it was beautifully sunny, there were 3 or 4 pigeons on the roof, and I looked at him sitting hunched in here and just thought sod it! I approached the hutch and asked him’ Do you want to go Big Boy?’

I felt he spoke to my heart that he did, and I opened the door. He waited for a few seconds then flew straight up to the roof. 

 There he goes!

 It didn't take Robs long to see if there were any pickings!

A few minutes later I couldn’t tell him from the others so threw a few peanuts down, and when all the pigeons came down I realised he wasn’t there at all – he’d gone!  I hadn’t intended to set him free today, but he has sat for a week in that hutch with every day being either very wet, or very grey. In fact it’s been so wet and boring for him, that every afternoon I have brought him in to the kitchen for a couple of hours before pigeon bedtime. You may think I did wrong – or right! – but I just felt it was the right time though I acted on impulse. His beak is so much better than it was, and he’d had a good morning feed. I hope, like Pandora, he will cope.... or come back. Pandora was there with the very next group of pigeons down on the lawn – I took that to be a good omen for BB’s  successful progress. An hour after he’d gone I had a letter delivered..... from the RPRA  - nice stamp! -

giving the owner’s name and address, but no telephone number and saying the owner would be in touch. Oh dear, I must admit I didn’t really expect to hear from them. But a letter is just a letter, and the owner may well not contact me after all.

Echo is moulting which I suppose is normal, but messy! I brought her in on 19^th Dec 13 and guessed she was about 6 weeks old, so now she is about 12 weeks and I actually think she is male, so I’ll call her him from now on! He is continually star-gazing which he wasn’t when first brought in, but I hope he will make a recovery as he is a cheeky, noisy thing – still relating to me as a ‘parent’ and flapping his wings to get my attention. He likes emptying all the grains out of his pot, trying to eat them, ripping up the newspaper covering the floor, having a big drink and generally scrambling about. The trouble with bringing a young bird in is that I think he may get institutionalised but I obviously had no choice in Echo’s case.

Narcissus seems more female to me now – she is far quieter and calmer than Echo, though that may be the progress of the illness. I looked back on my blog and strangely enough I brought her in exactly a month after I took in Echo – 19^th Jan 13. I have no idea how old she was then. She has head tremors, and can’t fly, and also zonks out, all symptoms of PMV, but she doesn’t star-gaze. I have also never seen her drink by herself so I have to offer her a drink at least twice a day. She likes to mainly just sit on her hot water bottle. I am concerned about her eyes as they seem to have a violet hue and look weak somehow, but they are not weeping and I am sure she can see.

Cloud must be two years old at least. While I had Big Boy in the hutch she has been spending her days on the conservatory table and seems to like being with the two little pigeons. Now he has gone I will put her back outside, at least for part of the day, but only if the weather seems reasonable. The hutch is a rather damp miserable place in the winter. She pretends she is grumpy with me and makes funny grumbling noises, but is quite content when I carry her about in the crook of my arm, or let her walk about on the grass when the flock is there.

All of the homies preen themselves, and Big Boy was preening himself too after the first few days, despite the injured beak.

Sunday 2^nd Feb 14 – Big Boy was there with the morning flock and flew straight to my feet. He can eat alone, thank goodness, but can’t pick up everything. I observed what he could pick up and targeted him with lots of those kinds of grains. I am so relieved, and so glad he was telling the truth about being ready for release! My little Sugar-plum was there too, bobbing here and there, mopping up all the little grains – she seems absolutely fine! The one I think is her sibling was there too, and next to her at one point – much smaller! But also seems fine. Excellent! Cloud was able to go back into her hutch as it was a bright morning. It felt quite a luxury to just have just 3 homies to feed instead of 4!

I weighed Cissy in at 325g (up from 307g on Thurs) and Echo at 356g (up from 345g on Thurs)

Later,  mid afternoon – I was cleaning my car in the yard, inside and out, and after a while decided I needed the little hand vacuum cleaner so went back towards the house. The garden was deserted of birds and there was a little pile of feathers on the lawn – I know exactly how the lawn looks and which feathers have been shed naturally – so I immediately thought ‘hawk’ and scanned the garden. Suddenly it rose from the flower bed abandoning its prey, and I went to have a look. The victim this time was a tiny pigeon – poor little bubs – crouching under a tangle of shrubs. I picked it up very gently in a cloth and brought it into the house to examine. As you can see from the photos, the back of its head has been stripped of feathers and there was blood under one wing. 

Pigeon with head stripped of feathers by hawk

I very gently washed its head with a lightly salted warm water solution and dabbed under the wing. It accepted a sip of ordinary tepid water, then I felt it best to leave it in a box, in a quiet room, with a well wrapped hot water bottle, to try to recover after the terrible ordeal. I peeped at it a couple of times, and only took it out of the box again once, when it peeped pitifully, just before dark, to offer another drink, and settle it down for the night. My little precious, will it survive the shock?

3.2.14 – Poppet did survive the night and was alert and feisty, though wary of me, very understandably. I dealt with her first as I have to be so careful not to transmit the PMV virus to her. I uncovered her box and moved it near the window for the light, and put food and water inside the box. I will see if she eats before I decide to hand-feed her. She is to be kept in the other spare room, away from the conservatory and the little bedroom where the others spend the night.

I was just about to go out to feed the flock when something caught my eye and I thought ‘It’s snowing!’ but of course it was feathers drifting past as the hawk had probably swooped into the waiting flock on the roof – and it was ages before they dared to come back to eat. Sugar was with them, but not BB this morning.

Halfway through the morning I checked on Poppet, and didn’t think she had moved, let alone eaten or drunk. She doesn’t like being handled by me, but I don’t think she is injured – just had feathers stripped, and possibly bruised – which is bad enough. I weighed her – only 253g tiny little mite! And then I hand-fed her 20 grains and peanuts, and dipped her beak in water so she would drink. Obviously I left food and water with her again, but I will try to increase her weight and probably will keep her about a week so I know she has recovered from the trauma. If you remember, last year I picked up Patience from the path after a hawk attack and she had a big hole in her chest, but she recovered well though I had to keep her for a full month before she was healed enough to be released.

 Pictures of Poppet today

 Big Boy had turned up by 11.30am – and so had the hawk. While I was inside the house, the fearsome bird had caught, killed, decapitated and eaten my mummy dove, Rose Red. What can I say? The hawk has to eat...... I reckon we will have attack after attack until it’s babies are reared. The mess was incredible, bloodied white feathers everywhere. When I first realised it had got a dove, I could already see the victim was dead, so I let it get on with it.

It stayed for ages, dragging the poor dead thing around the flower bed. The other birds can sense when it’s there and they kept away. When it eventually left, I was able to discover who was the victim, ..... I was dreading to find it was sweet little Sugar, but finding it was Rose Red was sad and unpleasant – poor little mummy bird, and now my lovely Snow White is left without a mate.If there is any consolation at all, then I did think RR was showing signs of PMV. Then the small group of pigeons came down for a feed, including Big Boy – and two hours later the hawk was back, and eventually dragged the body through the gate – when I just happened to be looking out of the window – and then flew off with it. At least it was going to eat it all up - once when the hawk killed my daddy dove, Glory, he died for nothing as the hawk didnt eat a scrap.

I gave Echo and Narcissus another bath this afternoon. Echo’s head is so floppy sometimes that she would drown if I wasn’t there to hold it up. They both stayed in the kitchen to dry out their feathers. For the first time today I saw Cissy trying to eat on her own but I still have not seen her drink alone. Poppet doesn’t like being hand fed, though she seems happy to drink from a little glass – but I do feel I have to feed her a bit until I am sure that she will eat on her own. She doesn’t move much unless I am trying to pick her up and I try to disturb her as little as possible.

 Above, Cissy left and Echo right, on the way to the bath tub, and below, drying out

Tuesday 4.2.14 – Today I removed the grille to the Poppet’s box and placed her on top of it, with food and water. I still haven’t seen her help herself to either. She stayed there a long time, but after I came back from being out for much of the morning, she had flown to another part of the room. This is good because it means I know she can fly, but bad because she poops in awkward places!

I am out tomorrow most of the day so not a good time to let her free (outside I mean) but I think if Thursday is not a dreadful day weather wise then I will see if she wants to go – she will have had three full days inside by then. I did hope to keep her at least a week and hand-feed her peanuts to build up her strength, but she hates being fed, and as she can fly and doesn’t have any injury then I can’t justify keeping her in. My brave little battered bird.

Wed. 5.2.14 – The weather today was very blustery indeed and lashing with rain, and I don’t think the forecast is good for tomorrow, so looks like Poppet will be staying a bit longer. Poppet is not a very good name for her actually – Plucky would be better! She is not in the least interested in making friends with me – she despises me and wants to be free again. Well as soon as we get a settled period, she will be ringed and on her way. I wondered if Rose Red’s bright yellow and pink rings attracted the hawk, so I might stick to more subdued colours in future. Mind you, Grace has bright blue and pink rings and she was hatched approx 23^rd Feb ’13 so nearly a year old now. Two others hatched in my cote – Destiny and Autumn, haven’t been seen for a while now.

Thursday 6.2.14 –  

 First thing - the flock wheels round and round in the sky, before coming down to the roof ridge

 where they settle

 I was feeding them when the hawk shot like a bullet from behind me and straight on towards the river. Didnt catch anything but it will hunt til it does (obviously!)

A lighter note was when I saw this outside the bedroom window and grabbed my camera. The postbox nest box was given to me by my youngest daughter for Christmas 2012 and this was the very first time I'd seen any birds interested in it. There was a pair and one popped inside - I do so hope they nest there, that would be wonderful!

Lashing with rain all day, so I brought Cloud in from the hutch at 10.30am to spend the rest of the day with the pidgies on the conservatory table. She really seems to like this! The other two are confined but she walks around the table, peering in at them, pecking at them if they get too close and generally playing Lady Cloud. She knocked over the kitchen roll, and was teetering around on it – would’ve made a good Youtube video if I'd managed to capture it.

Poppet had the freedom of the spare room for much of the day, but put herself back inside her box early, perhaps as it was such a gloomy day. I managed to weigh her but she struggled so I don’t know if it’s accurate – 280g up from 253g when first weighed. I ringed her with an inconspicous grey ring on her right leg, and had a quick look at her poor featherless head – it’s crusted over.  It will be quite a while before they grow again, I can't possibly keep her til then - after all she has nothing else wrong with her, and though I don't like releasing any of them when the hawk is around so much, they must all take their chances.

So tomorrow will be release day - Hurrah says Poppet! I’ve seen Big Boy every day and Sugar, but haven’t heard a peep from BB’s owner – just as well as I released him.

To be cont.