Oh how I cried

[Garye]

Wednesday, I went to visit the ferals early in the morning before going to work and when I got to our meeting spot, I saw scattered feathers and some blood. All I could think of was, "Was it Garye? Was it Sue? Was it Broken Foot? There were two crows off to the side chewing on something, I don't know what. I wanted to throw a rock at them.

None of the pigeons would come down from the parking lot lights when I threw out the food. I kept thinking, "Something happened here and they're afraid to come down now." But I had to leave for work. I cried.

I couldn't visit them at lunch because my work place is too far from them. All week long I kept wondering which pigeon it was that was attacked. There were no bones, head or feet left so I assumed that whatever attacked it, took it with him. I had a hard time keeping myself from crying at work. I kept praying it wasn't Garye, Sue or Broken Foot. I checked on the flock after supper. They had finally gotten over their fear and eaten what I had thrown out for them in the morning. All the food was gone.

And then I thought to myself, the females usually don't come to the spot until around lunch time and these three are females. It looked like the scuffle had taken place in the early morning before I got there because I usually visit the flock before they go to bed at night and there hadn't been any signs of a scuffle taking place then. I kept hoping - maybe these three weren't attacked - they usually aren't out there until lunch time, but I couldn't find out until the weekend because of my new work hours.

Today I visited the flock at 2:00. There was Garye, Sue and Broken Foot! They're all alive and ok! It wasn't any of them!

Of course I feel terrible about the one that was attacked. I still don't know which one it was. But I'm happy these three are still around. They're my favorites. I hate my new work hours. I don't get to see these three anymore except on the weekends. I see only the males in the early mornings and evenings but for once I'm glad that they don't come out in the mornings. It could've been one of them if they had been male and hung around the gang in the mornings.

Pigeons - even when you're forced to leave them they still are hard to get your mind off of them. I've formed too much of a bond with them that I now worry when I can't see them like I used to. But at least those three are ok. I still see them around - at least on the weekends.

[Poulette]

I know what you mean. We get attached to our little friends! But the love you give them is stronger than the pain you feel.
Suz.

[Reti]

I am so sorry you had this terrible experience. I know what you mean, even when you don't see them you think and worry about them.
I always worried about my balcony flock when someone didn't show up.
They are such little darlings and I feel I have to protect them all.
I am glad your favorites are ok.

Reti

[surfingpigeon]

I'm so happy they turned up! It's so hard when a favorite bird at the pond or anywhere just ends up missing or dead. I've dealt with that a lot and always had the urge to rescue them.

By the way, do you call him brokenfoot because of a previous accident?

[Garye]

Yes that's why I call her Broken Foot. She limps on one foot. I don't know if a car hit her, I've seen people drive their cars extremely fast through the parking lot aiming right at the pigeons, or if an animal got her. My guess it was a car. I wish they'd put speed bumps in this parking lot to slow these young men down. They're mostly the ones who speed through the lot.

I'd take Broken Foot home but I'd get evicted if I did. There's no one around here to take care of her so I kinda just watch out for her when I'm there. She's regained some of her hurt foot but she still limps. She can fly very well which is an asset in her case.

I'm just glad the three of them are still around.

But what I am going to do is start putting the food around a parking lot light so if these wise guys who like to speed through the parking lot aiming for the pigeons, they can, and they can smash up their cars against the parking lot lights and have a huge bill to pay for both their car and the light. See how much fun they have then.

[feralpigeon]

Hi Garye,
Think that's a good idea. And maybe a few nails in the wide open spaces....just
kidding. Glad to hear your favorites are still with you

[Feefo]

Hi Garye,

It is horrible to lose a member of our "own" flock, I always take it very personally when I see evidence of one having been killed and go thorugh the same process of grieving for whoever died and hoping it isn't one of my special friends. I am glad that in this case all your special ones turned up.

If broken foot is a hen then removing her could condemn her chicks to starve...this is one of the elements that prevents me from grabbing my own favourites and taking them in to safety.

There is a recommended 10 mile an hour speed limit in one of my pigeon populated spots, and they still manage to run them down. The last two that were killed this way were homers , because they are not used to avoiding cars. I have seen cars swerve to try to get the pigeons. Very, very sad.

Cynthia

[Garye]

The worst part is that my older brother had been hit by a car speeding in a parking lot and had his collar bone broken. He sued the people. This was a long time ago and yet people still speed through the parking lot. I guess they like being sued. Or having their car smashed when they get too close to a parking lot light.

We have laws here that tell people to drive a certain speed through parking lots but people ignore them. What we need to do is put speed bumps that way if they want to go fast, they can and mess up their cars in the process.