New Year and how are the doves?

Thurs 15th January 2009

We have had some very cold weather recently with sub-zero temperatures. The doves are hardy but the icy ground covered in snow means that they can't easily supplement what I give them with little extras of green stuff. In the worst of the weather I have relented and given them a bit more. They don't seem to mind the cold, even having baths and sitting on the snowy lawn to dry off

The flock has now reduced to approx. 50-60 birds. It's rather hard to count them as not all of them appear for each feed. I have seen hawks about - they are using my poor birds

as food in this hard weather.These were ones that got away, and I saw them heal in the days that followed. Others haven't been so lucky.
In previous blogs I was concerned about the huge flock. I keep a very rough 'dove diary' and note that on 4th November I had a morning flock of about 40 and an afternoon one (some of course would be the same birds) of 70-80, so obviously we are down quite a bit. I have been 'working out' the food. I'm finding it difficult to find any reference anywhere - even if dove books - as to how much each individual dove/pigeon eats per day. Some say one thing, others say another. I think its about one and a half ounces - that looks about right. So I am working on the principle of giving about half the feed required for the number of doves I have visiting - they must search elsewhere for the other half! There's a lot of weighing and measuring as the number of doves fall.
I am still seeing most of the doves I ringed in the Summer or Autumn. So, I'm still seeing Sooty (who fell down the chimney, remember?) and these others - Sweetie, Octavius, Octavia, Rose and Daisy. Unfortunately I have realised that Daisy is a male! I'm not seeing Columba any more, or Autumn.
Last night, at dusk when the other doves had flown away, I found a dove on the bridge to the island. It would definitely be fox fodder if I left it - I have seen fox footprints in the snow and the frost, and one morning saw a beautiful big brown fox sitting in the snow. Amazingly enough I had my camera with me, but by the time I had switched it on and ducked behind the hedge, it had loped off. A missed photo opportunity! I got my net to catch the lone dove but at the first swipe I missed and it fluttered up to the metal side of the bridge, but didn't, more likely couldn't fly away. I tried again with my heart in my mouth, because if it slipped and really couldn't fly then it would have fallen in the fast flowing water and been swept away - I would have felt like a murderer! This time the net caught it's wing and I grabbed it and took it back to the cottage. My daughter ringed it, and demanded that she name it.... so we have a pure white dove called Scarlett now. I've put it in the dove box in the shed with food and water for the night. Scarlett may be the dove I called Frosty who had been spending the last 7 or 8 nights on our roof... but he's Scarlett now.
My most exciting news is that a pair of doves have been showing a great interest in the dovecote. They spend quite a bit of time there - one sometimes in the cote and one looking up expectantly at it. Sometimes they go in together. Also I have seen them mating, and so I am very much hoping that they will set up home here, but currently they are flying away at night.





It would be so lovely to have a pair of doves here at night again. The cote looks so empty at the moment. So here's hoping........


I also have a special dove! He is unringed because I havent attempted to ring him, not wishing to frighten him. When I feed the doves on the island in the afternoons, I hold my hand out with feed and he always flies up to it. I call him EagleEye because he is always watching my movements. Although unringed and pure white I can easily recognise him even on the ground as he has a peculiar crossed beak - and a knowing look! Sometimes when he is feeding off my hand I move my fingers so that I can feel his warm feathery body - I love the fact that he trusts me enough to come onto my hand. None of the others do!

The end

Christmas Giveaway and Dove Painting

I thought it would be in the Christmas spirit and fun to have a little giveaway of some Christmassy choccy items. Please add your name to the comments (on either this blog or my other one) and I will draw the winners on the 18th Dec, contact you if you win and post them off straight away so hopefully they arrive before Christmas. If you have any preference, please say so!

Dove book - Spirit's Story - photos by me, Lindt Rudi the Reindeer chocs, Ladybird chocs, Hanging Penguin with choc balls, Snow bear finger puppet with choc balls, Santa hat with choc balls, Lindt truffles.

I bought this dove painting on Ebay. It was done for the Warehouse Project - I think something to do with music but don't really know! Now hanging in my bedroom - I love it! and a bargain at under £15

Merry Christmas everyone from my doves! They will have a special treat on Christmas day - ALL they can eat, no rationing at all!

Pink doves!

The feral flock of doves are fed at about 8.00 am and again in the afternoons, at this time of year, at 2.oo pm. I have been trying to reduce the number of the flock to manageable and affordable proportions, but despite cutting down the amount of grain given I still have about 80 doves and pigeons arriving to be fed!

Most days, just before dark, a little group of doves - from 1 to 10 - gather, hopefully, on the roof and I, unable to resist, have been feeding them a little extra supper. Initially, it was only a small group of 3 or 4 and as they started to wait regularly after the main flock had flown away, I wondered if they were always the same doves. I pondered how I could somehow mark them so I would know and decided to flick a small quantity of food colouring to stain their feathers while they ate. This worked, and the same doves - a big male and a female, plus one or two smaller doves who I took to be their young, were there every day. Now a few other doves have cottoned on to having high tea, but I won't feed them if there are more than 10. Mr. and Mrs. Pink Spots always wait no matter how long it takes for the others to give up and fly away.

Fennie, a blogger who commented on my last dove blog (Pigeons in War - see below this one) suggested (very frivolously, Fennie - lol) that perhaps my doves could be fed the same sort of food as flamingos and thus become pink! I searched Google images for a picture of a pink dove and was surprised to find that this is actually happening at Winwick Hall in Northamptonshire.

Find the beautiful pink doves under the section entitled 'Stables'. I'm tempted to try it in the summer, but where could I obtain krill from?

http://www.winwickhall.com/

Maybe I will just satisfy myself with making some pink dove biscuits with my dove cutter (bought on Ebay) and this recipe, kindly sent to me by another blogger, Unpeuloufoque.

Oven 170/325/Gas mark 3

30z butter
1 egg
10 oz plain flour
2 oz golden syrup
4 oz soft brown sugar
Large shake of cinnamon or ginger

Sift flour and cinnamon into a bowl. Add butter and cut it up. Rub into flour with your finger tips. Break egg into a bowl then beat and add golden syrup. Mix until smooth . Make hollow in flour, pour in egg mixture mix until it makes a ball. Put in plastic bag in fridge for 30 minutes. Get it out of fridge. Sprinkle flour on a table and on your rolling pin - roll out to about ¼” thick. Cut out biscuits, put on lined baking tray, cook for about 15 to 20 minutes. Take out of oven and cool. Ice with 4 oz icing sugar mixed with about 1 tnsp of hot water. Spoon a little onto cool biscuits and spread with a wet knife.

For pink ones I'd have to use a little colouring, obviously.

I haven't tried this recipe yet, but apparently it is great for making the kind of cookies you thread a ribbon through can hang from the Christmas tree.

Pigeons in War

Remembrance Sunday 2008.

The National Pigeon Service was formed at the outbreak of World War Two when 7000 of Britain's pigeon fanciers gave their pigeons to the war effort to act as message carriers.

Pigeons carried their messages either in special message containers on their legs or small pouches looped over their backs. Pigeons were dropped by parachute in containers to Resistance workers in France, Belgium and Holland. This was dangerous as if caught with a British pigeon it meant facing German firing squad. The photo of the poster above was taken at the German Occupation Museum in Guernsey.

One famous pigeon was called White Vision. She/he received a Dickin Medal (popularly referred to as the 'Animal VC' and exclusive to animals and birds - see www.pdsa.org.uk/page309.html for more stories) for saving the lives of eleven airmen in 1943. White Vision was released from a flying boat ditched off Scotland and flew sixty miles in strong winds and exceptionally difficult conditions to bring a rescue party.

More details can be found on Pigeons in War at http://www.rpra.org/ Read about some of the brave pigeons - it is quite humbling!

The Animals in War memorial is in Park Lane, Mayfair.

(Information for this blog taken from Pigeons in War leaflet from the Royal Pigeon Racing Association leaflet.

Bognor 1961

This is me, and my nearest sister, in Bognor. I'm the little one, and aged four. I don't remember the day, but I do recall that the dresses were mauve and white gingham, and my shoes, my lovely shoes, were pink patent. I cried when I outgrew them. Maybe my love of white doves stems from this occasion?

Dove Returned to Grateful Owner

Belle, in dog carrier, waiting to be collected.


I have mentioned before that for the last while a ringed white dove has been visiting my garden with the rest of the feral flock. She has a yellow ring on one leg, and a white ring with a telephone number on on the other.

I didn't name her but for the purpose of writing the blog I will call her Belle. She was a bold little thing, and would always run to me, and after a while would feed from my hand, with some of the other bold, or very hungry, doves. As she became tamer, I took my camera out at feeding time and tried to take photos of her feet, so that I could find out the telephone number. I got most of it from the photos, as once they were uploaded, it was easy to read, but I couldn't see all of it and so it came into my mind that I might be able to catch her.

So on Tuesday 14.10.08 at the afternoon feeding time, I scattered the grain as usual over the island, and put some on the wall near me, and had some in my open hand too. Belle, hungry as always, can rushing over in her normal way. I suspected she was a young dove, and she was moulting on her head, so easy to recognise with her pink skin showing through on her head and just a few fluffy feathers.

While Belle and the others crowded round my left hand on the wall, I brought my right hand up and swiftly down on the one I hoped was Belle. I had caught her! but holding onto her was not easy! She is a feisty, strong dove. I held her close to my body, with my hand over her head and hurried off the island to put her in my dog's travelling box. I really must get another for the doves - I'm always using his!

Belle tried to escape by bashing herself against the grille, but eventually realised it was futile. I put grain and water in the box and went to get a pen and paper. Having noted down the telephone number and feeling pleased with myself for catching her, I rang the number.

I discovered that Belle belongs to Bob Friar of Everlasting Doves in Aldershot, Surrey. He keeps beautiful white pure bred Logan Rock doves and releases them at occasions such as weddings and funerals. Please take a moment to look at his website http://www.everlastingdoves.co.uk/ Bob was, I think, rather surprised to get my call but of course very pleased to know that Belle was alive and well. She had been missing for about three weeks having flown away from his garden with another of his doves (sadly still missing). Belle, at time of blogging, is about 16 weeks old and the distance between Bob's home and mine is 23.5 miles.

Bob came to collect Belle the next day. He brought a purpose built dove carrying box out of his car, with little compartments, suitable for transporting several doves. Out of this he produced a bottle of wine for me, which was a kind thought, although it had been no trouble at all for me to catch and keep Belle for him and I enjoyed having her, although not keeping her confined.

I really enjoyed our chat - it's lovely to talk to someone who truly shares your interest - and Bob was able to give me a few useful tips. He also assured me that, come what may, the doves and pigeons visiting my garden would definitely not starve if I stopped feeding them.

It would be a long, lonely winter without them...........

Wish I'd scrubbed the paint off my hands before taking this photo!

The end.

How I'm Dealing with the Problem AND Doves in the house!

Photo of my yorkshire terrier - well he does get a mention further down the blog!


First of all, I will just apologise to Lee, who commented on a recent blog. I said Lee was a lady because I didn't know - but we've been emailing and Lee is a man. So, sorry Lee, and let me know when your doves arrive. Lee and his family are getting a new dovecote and four white doves - very exciting!



I telephoned a man called Dave who keeps racing pigeons and has been dealing with pigeons and doves for 50 years. I bought Dave's booklet on Ebay (doesnt seem to be available at the moment or I would have provided a link) and the small price I paid gives me access to his phone number to discuss any problems or queries. I'd actually forgotten about this, but then remembered and thought he might be able to help. Dave was a lovely kind chap and we had a super conversation, but none of his ideas I felt were going to be very practical for me.






He suggested:

1. Trapping the doves I don't want and taking them for a drive 30 miles or so away, and then releasing them.

I feel that this would be difficult to do - how do you trap them? I would have to get big traps and entice them in with food, and I certainly don't want to pay for traps. Then it would be unfair to the doves to take them away from the landscape they know and where they roost. Also I might well split up paired doves and I wouldnt want to do that.

2. Putting an advert somewhere (he didn't suggest where) saying that white doves were available if someone wants to come and trap them.

Apparently white doves are scarce and people are always looking to buy them!!!! (Amazing!). This idea is no good for same reasons as above, and the fact that I don't want people tramping in and trying to trap doves on my island!

3. Shooting them.

We both agreed that we thought this was wrong.

4. Cutting down the food while it is still Autumn and natural food is still probably available.

Well, this seems to be my only option, and I have started to do it. Today 9.10.08 I only put out half the quantity I was putting out before, and I will reduce it slowly. I hate doing this, I really do. They are so so hungry - they come whirling round me, tumbling over each other in their eagerness to get to the food. I sit on the wall and they will feed from my hand, five or more at a time.

The other day I was relaxing in my sitting-room, laptop on my lap and dog by my side, when there was a frightening bang from the kitchen and I discovered that a big male dove had flown in through the back door (which is actually our front door too!) which was ajar and was trying get out through the closed window, flapping against the glass. I caught him and wrapped his wings close around him and held him next to my body so he wouldn't struggle. My little yorkie saw that Mummy was fussing with one of those white fluttery things again and went huffily back to the sofa!

I wanted to ring the dove before I set him free so I put him in the dog travelling box with some food and water to recover until my husband came home (which was only half an hour or so). The dove, making the best of a bad job, started to peck up the food quickly. I named him Octavius as it is October, and ringed him with green (my colour) and blue (to show who he is) and set him free.

The very next day the very same thing happened again. This time the dove was smaller, and I assumed a young female. I managed to ring her myself - I'm getting the hang of these tricky ring! - with green, and red this time, and called her Octavia.









Photo of Octavius (left) and Octavia - have you any idea how hard it is to get a photo of two particular doves together out of a flock of at least 80?


A day after this, we had a more unpleasant happening. Some time after the morning feeding, I discovered a very mangled body of a dove under my washing line.

WARNING: skip the writing in brown if you don't want to read gory post mortem details.

The unlucky thing had obviously had a fatal encounter with a hawk as its body was ripped apart. Its eyes were open, looking like dead staring fish eyes - horrid! I must be getting hardened to these sights though, as after the initial shock of seeing white, bloodied feathers and a poor little corpse on my lawn, I was interested to see that spilling out of the ripped crop of the bird were grains of wheat. I put on a pair of disposable gloves (always a good idea to keep a supply handy) and placed the body on a sheet of newspaper which I then put on the garden table. I have never done anything like this before (except I vaguely remember with a dead frog in a biology lesson at school) but I was interested to see what this dove had been eating. I took a sharp pair of scissors and slightly cut the crop open further. The smell and sound was off-putting I have to say. To my inexperienced eye, the crop looked totally full. I would say that 80% were wheat grains, and the rest other seeds/grains including maize. As my feed mix is not 80% wheat - more like 20-25% - I have to assume that this dove, and no doubt the other doves, are finding food elsewhere. I did have a look at the rest of the body, but didn't do any more cutting. I would have been interested to see the stomach but couldn't face doing the deed.

Ok, safe to read on now -

I have seen Octavius and Octavia several times since I ringed them. There is a small group of 4 -7 doves that wait on the roof until just after sunset when all the other doves have flown off to roost and then come and appeal to me for food. I can't resist them so I have been feeding them a little extra at this time. Octavia seems to be one of them. There is also a rather tatty looking dove that is ringed with a yellow ring on one leg, and a white ring with a phone number on the other. I have seen the word Phone and then several numbers underneath but I can't so far get close enough to read them all. If I could I would phone the number and see where the dove had come from. I would imagine it has been living with the feral flock for some time as it is in rather poor condition with a bit of a bald head! I wonder if it's owner would want it back. I would if it were mine.

So to sum up, hopefully the doves are finding food elsewhere and I can feel less guilty about feeding them less. Currently after the morning feed, about a third to half of the doves remain on the roof and the others fly away. I suspect that they take it in turns to fly off foraging for food but keep a good look out here in case I decide to put more food out. I'm not looking forward to the winter when there just isn't any natural food left around. Of course I do love the doves, but there is just too many of them.


The end.