3 squabs need foster in Bay Area, Ca!!!

[Ivor]

Thank you for all the good wishes, yes, Tiny couldn't make it last night, but Darby is a wonderful baby, I was feeding him today, and he is so charming and lovely, he was on the floor trying to fly, is very active, and make me get up earlier, but after he ate, we took a nap together, I wrap him in a tshirt, and we went to sleep in my bed together, it was raining outside, so we were warm and together, I noticed that he loves the kisses...

I'm sure Darby will make it, he is totally different than Tiny, it looks like my Jorgito when he was a baby, so energetic.

Ivette

[TAWhatley]

I'm so very sorry the two little ones didn't make it. It sounds like Darby is quite the little pigeon! Many thanks to both KariJo and Ivette for stepping up and giving these babies their best chance at life. My heart goes out to you both.

Terry

[karijo]

Ivette, thanks so much for keeping us updated on Darby! (Sorry for giving him such a goofy name, I was talking to him one day and it just came out! I have no idea why!)

You are so sweet and kind to take him in!!! I feel so happy for him that he has you!!

[Ivor]

Hi again,

I have some good news, Jaye lives here in SF and I was telling him about Darby, and he said that is able to foster him, Darby is so active and very soon is going to be ready for release, but we hope to find a permanent house for him, Jaye has another pigeon at home that he foster, so they both are going to be a good companion.

Jaye is a good father and I'm sure Darby will be in good hands now, Unfortunately I do not have enough room for another pigeon, and Darby is growing fast, but Jaye will keep us update about Darby progress. Thank you guys for all those words, and I'm sure Jaye is going to be the best father for Darby.

Ivette

[Jaye]

Hi all...well, yes, resurrecting this thread. I have had the lil' baby all this time...she is grown and a strong adolescent now. She also made great friends with Gatsby...the silly King who I am fostering for Elizabethy.





Second pic is with Condorito on the left....the baby which Ivor saved when she was near-death. I named her 'Nessie....because she has the longest neck of any pidge I have ever seen...in profile, when she was a baby, she reminded me of that famous photo of the Loch Ness Monster !

Well....it was rainy, then cold, then foggy...then....well...it was NEVER quite the right time to release...right ?

Um, basically...I was finidng EVERY excuse available NOT to let this sweetheart go (you know how it is ).

But ultimately it was time. Nice sunny, mild weather here in the Bay Area. Nights have been a bit chilly here (by SF standards...I won't dare say that 40-45 degrees at night is chilly to those folks elsewhere).

So...I put her cage out this morning, and waited for the flock(s) to come feed.

Of course, of all days, they decided to come in two's and threes, separately...and not in their usual 6-12 numbers. So....I waited...and wwaited...then finally about 2 hours ago got a group of five there and I kept feeding so they'd hang around.

I gave her a kiss, told her to be good and come back anytime she wants...and opened the cage. Out she went. First directly above my portico for a bit....lookin' around, with the typical 'huh ?...what's all this then ?' expression.

[Jaye]

Then she pretended she was a new architectural feature on my roof for a while....



Then the group spooked, and she stayed put...which concerned me a bit because I had been giving her time in the cage out on the porch with the ferals for quite a bit.

They came back, ate some more, and she took the plunge and flew up 2 storeys to the next-door neighbor's (fine folks) roof. Then she followed 'em across the street to the apt. roof. She's on the left.



So I am watching the trio up there, and she is walkin' about checking out the big blue thing above her head, everywhere ...and I see the other two spook and skidaddle.....

She follows quickly afterwards, fliyng quite well, actually. So I say "good girl, 'Ness...that's how you do it !"...when all of the sudden, into my view higher above comes a redtail hawk.

I'm like....gulp...oosh....NOT what you wanna see 5 minutes out, eh ?

He circles for about 5 minutes here and there.....he wasn't really hot on the hunt...he was being too casual, although he was looking to and fro, back and forth. The redtails around here, they tend not to make quick dives into the built-up areas or where there are people and traffic....they might if they are really hungry, but they tend more to go for the ground critters in the park a half-block away. I know in some places they can be bolder, but for some reason I have never seen that brave a behaviour from them around here. They usually strike in higher, clear sky away from trees and urbanity.

Some of the adults were flying evasive patterns here and there, but the hawk really didn't seem too interested, and flew off soonafter.

But 'Ness had had her first lesson and had reacted...textbook perfect. So...yay !

Funny, right as I started this post, I looked across the street, and there she was again...preening herself ! She's on the left.

[TAWhatley]

Well done Jaye and Nessie! It's great that you were able to get such good pics of the release. Live long and fly free, Nessie!

Terry

[Jaye]

Thanks. Hehehe....a few minutes into writing this...I heard a "clang" on the cage, still outdoors on the porch. i went to the window and looked out, and saw her take off and skidaddle away around the corner of the building !

So, there it is. Am a little sad...and as always a little worried, although I will try not to obsess about looking for her everytime I step outside (I said I'd try)...

She is a sweetheart, and free now, as she was born to be. Thank you Ivor for helping, and thanks Karijo for getting her out of ACC.

[Charis]

Makes me a little sad too.
Wouldn't surprise me in the least if she comes back to check in on her old friends.
You be sure and let us know.

[Jaye]

She's definitely getting her bearings...has come by a few times today.........

....wow...can you imagine how she must feel ?????

[Ivor]

Oh Jaye, I'm so happy for Nessie, she is so sweet, but also she is not really tame, I remember that never let me get her, when I foster her while you were in Hawaii, but I think that is the best if she will be in the wild now, I'm so happy for her she is free now and I'm sure she will go back home to check how are everybody, and Condorito looks so great, now probably is time to change his name, he looks handsome Thank you Jaye you are the best!!

Ivette

[Charis]

Originally Posted by Jaye

She's definitely getting her bearings...has come by a few times today.........

....wow...can you imagine how she must feel ?????

No ceilings...no walls...it would take some getting used to but I agree with...wow!

[karijo]

Wow!! Thank you so much for posting this!!!
I always think about little Darby (now "Nessie") and was a little afraid to ask her fate, since the other 2 of the group hadn't made it - and I really had grown quite fond of her.

I totally teared up reading this thread!! I am SO happy!

Thank you both for helping this little pidgie - it really is miraculous that this little bird that had such a rough start (her parents and siblings and rest of her flock being poisoned!!) got a second chance.

She didn't come from ACC, I have friends who work at various Vet Hospitals and when pidgies come in I'm on the call list under "Bleeding Heart Pigeon Lover", LOL.

Darby (I mean Nessie!) was turned in by a woman who saw the birds being poisoned and dying, and managed to find and resuce the three peeping squabs when she realized the parents had been killed, along with all the rest. Horrible people out there... anyway - thank you thank you thank you. I will have to name one of my new babies "Darby"!

[maryjane]

What wonderful news. Great job to all of you. I'm sure she will visit now and then!