My new friend - kind of......

[kittypaws]

I have a new friend. He is a pigeon.

I spotted him mid November near to where I work - reason? He had fishing line around both legs. So of course that is a red rag to a bull where I am concerned and I therefore have to try and catch him....

Well without boring everyone I couldn't catch him because

a) he was a lone pigeon - i.e there were no others to "distract" my attention to him

b) he likes to sit on the ledge of a shop on a busy-ish road and a walkway with quite a few people walking past

But I tried and I fed him peanuts and seeds evey day which he would fly down to and hobble over and eat...

In December I had a week break - I felt really sad about not going the 7 miles a day to feed him but I tried to reason that he may not be there every day etc.

When I returned from my break - he was still on his ledge but his legs were unattached - his right foot however was missing a toe. It was a better scenario than the hobbled bit.

Well now to bring you up to date - I still haven't caught him - his left foot looks fine, his right foot which he walks on OK appears to still have fishing line around but doesn't seem to be getting any worse and he bears weight on it.

However he expects his peanuts every day in that at first he used to wait on the ledge and would fly down when he saw me coming - now he sees me half way up the road on my bike and flies right down nearly into my face as a greeting for his breakfast....

He is very lovely and I am glad he is coping - although in the ideal world I would like to grab him and sort his foot out properly.

Tania xxxxx

PS - I start my first shift at the London Wildcare Centre on Saturday - they are pretty quiet at the moment apparently, just awaiting the first flushes of baby animals ( foxes, squirrels, birds etc) but they do have quite a few pigeons in at the moment so I guess I will be making some more friends ( human and feathered) very soon.

[TerriB]

Tania, that's pretty cool that the lone pigeon is coping so well. Still, it would be great if you could catch him and remove the fishing line. Could be the extra calories that you provided helped tide him over a rough patch.

I know you are looking forward to spending time at the London Wildcare Centre. Keep us informed of your adventures!

[Reti]

Would be great if you can catch him and I am sure you will eventually.

How great you will start Saturday at the Wildcare center. That will be a great experience.
Keep us posted.

Reti

[cyro51]

That reminds me so much of my Stumpy! Every time I tried to catch her I developed and instant and intense pain in the head that had me crouching on yje ground in absolute agony, I suppose that was something to do with an adrenalin rush, though it hasn't happened since.

Then one day I saw her standing in the snow missing a foot. I don't know how she did't bleed to death. But at least she wasn't hobbled anymore.

She was always the first of the flock to see me and recognise me. I would always toss her spaecial handfuls away from the other birds and she would wait until I said "Stumpy!" just before tossing the seed away from the piled up pidgies, she was so quick and intelligent that she would always get there first and have her choice bits like peanuts.

Cynthia

[Trees Gray]

I sure pray you DO have the opportunity to rescue this sweety.

Thanks for sharing.

That is one smart pigeon, Cynthia.

[Larry_Cologne]

Hello Tania,

I fed Splitbeak much the same way. She would see me coming and eventually together we would try to figure out a rendezvous out of sight of the other pigeons so she could get her fill from a deep jar full of seeds. However, her feet were intact.

Feeding street pigeons here is forbidden, and caring for injured pigeons is difficult to accomplish.

I tried catching string-tangled pigeons before, mostly without success (getting less nimble with age: can't touch my toes, not so flexible, get out of breath easily).

The pigeons I do manage to catch are those who are quite weak, and not that far away from dying.

The pigeons who are tangled are the ones who should be helped right away. Someday it may be permitted for the public to help needy animals without being heavily fined.

Very rarely do I see a pigeon here in Cologne missing a toe or a foot last more than a year in that condition. It seems that here, at least, there is a disease process started that continues unseen after the visible damage has been done. I take note of pigeons with obvious injuries because it is as if they are given a name, a means by which a human can tell them apart from similar-looking pigeons. Indeed, I give them names or monikers to help me follow their progress or decline, and I have not seen a string-foot survive a full winter to the spring. I would like to be shown or proven wrong.

Larry

[AZWhitefeather]

Poor little fella!
I hope you are successful in catching him Tania.

Please keep us posted.

Cindy

[kittypaws]

I will try and catch him - but he is wary.......

Today he was nowhere in sight but I just have to stand near the shop ledge that he used to sit and wait for me and hey presto he appeared out of the skies - I just love the way he knows me - doesn't matter what I am wearing - he knows..... clever boy

On a slightly depressing note, feeding the guys at the lock, I noticed today a lovely red pigeon limping ( but no sign of injury to his leg or foot so not sure what the problem is??) a moorhen with a limp and a poor crow that I have seen before with something horrible going on with his right leg - I think it may be broken - but there is no way he will come anywhere near me - its so upsetting when you know that he will probably just have to cope.

We have a bit of an advantage with pigeons being the sociable beasts that they are.

Thaks for the encourangement re the Wildlife Centre - I am sure I will learn lots and I also think that you will probably find me posting a lot more re pigeon illnesses when they have baffled Ted and the team - for some suggested diagnoses!!!

Tania xx

[mr squeaks]

Tania...adding my hope that you will be able to help your pigeon friend!

I am so looking forward to hearing about your adventures working with Ted and others!!

Do tell Ted HELLO!

LOVE and HUGS!

[kittypaws]

Originally Posted by kittypaws

I will try and catch him - but he is wary.......

On a slightly depressing note, feeding the guys at the lock, I noticed today a lovely red pigeon limping ( but no sign of injury to his leg or foot so not sure what the problem is??) a moorhen with a limp and a poor crow that I have seen before with something horrible going on with his right leg - I think it may be broken - but there is no way he will come anywhere near me - its so upsetting when you know that he will probably just have to cope.

We have a bit of an advantage with pigeons being the sociable beasts that they are.

Tania xx

Well I still haven't caught my bird but he is OK and standing fine on both feet - he continues to greet me most days but not everyday which I am pleased about in a way as I don't want him getting dependant on me.

The red pigeon is no longer limping - what ever he had wrong is better.

The crow still comes to feed with his foot still horribly bent but again he seems to be OK.

Today I caught a pigeon with PMV - I saw him yesterday and had a go at catching him then to no avail - but armed today with more food and more determination ( plus I saw two magpies together which is supposed to be lucky! ) I had another go and after about 10 minutes caught him.

He came into work and stayed in the office all day in a carrier - then on my way home I decided to call into the vets to purchase a wire carrier, but they lent me one for free and one of the nurses there is always rescuing wildlife including pigeons and has dropped off casualties at London Wildcare where I am - so the pigeon came out of the box and the vet, Ian eyed him up a bit, Fiona stroked his chest and Becky oohed over him.

He has a good weight on him and the PMV doesn't seem too severe yet. I am going to look after him at home until Saturday and then take him to the hospital for better care.

So all going OK.

Tania xx

I would keep him at home longer, but him indoors is freaking out that I have a "diseased" bird in the house and the cats are cross as they can not come into my office. I have tried to explain to Colin that the bird is not going to give him a disease but unfortunately he is one of these pig ignorant people that has their own misconceived opinion on these things - his loss I say!

[Trees Gray]

I'm glad the subject of this thread is doing okay and thank you for rescuing the PMV pigeon.

I imagine he will have good care at your house as well as at Wildcare. Thank you for enabling his safety and wellbeing.

[John_D]

Well caught, Tania

I always think PMV pigeons are kind of 'special'. They try so hard to be 'normal' despite their disabilities, and can usually live quite happily in the right safe surroundings.

A PMV pidgie from my balcony in Worthing is now a resident in the 'doviary', where she is perching contentedly halfway up a sloping log (Cynthia told me tonight). Noelle is the second one of mine to end up in Norwich.

Odd that the 'doviary', which we had built as a separate area for collared doves who would soon be released, has now turned into our sanctuary for grounded PMV pigeons whose disability is still too pronounced for them to be really safe in the main aviary .... they would probably be picked on, and there could be a problem with the bathtub. There is only one dove there, our tiny Doveling who couldn't walk or fly when Cynthia took her on ... she stays up on the perches, away from our non-flying group (Surrey, Stephie, Dizzy, Tuppenny, Noelle).

John

[Feather]

Tania, Cynthia, and John,

You guys are all doing such a justice overthere. Hats off to all three of you!

Feather

[kittypaws]

Feather,

Thanks - but it's what of any of us would do isn't it? Us "pigeon" people !!

Tania xx

[kittypaws]

I had a bit of a panic recently re this pigeon - I have called him Chumley - don't ask me why??

He stopped being there over a week ago and I didn't see him for 8 days - I was very worried because I missed my "pigeon" fix in the mornings.....and of course you think the worse

Then yesterday he turned up to get his food thank goodness. He was there again this morning, but he has attracted a bully friend. Chumley was on his shop ledge and I shouted to him and over he flew to me. I threw his peanuts and seed down on the pavement and he started tucking in - still coping on his feet and not holding them up at all - then he was joined by another pigeon, but this one chased Chumley off - I have seen this before with him - although I would never hate another pigeon - I am a bit cross with this one as he doesn't want to share and chases Chumley away - Tomorrow I shall throw some food down for this bully and then throw Chumley some further up the road - he is a clever pidge and will follow me!!

Chumley is only a little pigeon and with his feet need all the help he can and no - I am no nearer catching him I am afraid...

Tania x