Banded AU bird found - NYC

[littlecakes]

I found someone on craigslist that had found a homer and needed help deciphering the band. They originally said the band read "August" but I had her go back and look properly because I didn't think that's what it really read.
This is the # AU SI 2008 2477
I will post to 911 pigeon list as well as a few other places and see if I can find the contact for AU in Staten Island since I'm assuming the SI stands for that.
The bird was found in Midtown Manhattan, has not been caught but has been hanging around near a NYSC gym that is I think on the second or third floor of a building. The woman who noticed him said he doesn't seem injured and sent me pictures. I did ask her to try to feed him some bird seed but I am not sure if this is her work place and if she will be allowed to or not. I am also going to see if someone from NYCPRC or Pigeon People would be willing to go take a look / possibly foster it. I'm in the middle of packing my apartment to move and too nuts for me.
If anyone has any other ideas or can help me trace the band, please help.
Thanks
Hanna

[gingerpoo]

Here is the club info! =)

Club Name : STATEN ISLAND RPC
Club Code : SI
Club Secretary : TONY BORELLI
City : STATEN ISLAND
State : NY
Phone No. : 718-494-3540
Email Address :

[littlecakes]

Thanks Gingerpoo! Will give the info to the finder asap.

[Trees Gray]

If the bird doesn't go home on his own, he needs to be caught to keep him safe and also that the owner can pick him up.

He needs to be fed and watered.

Here is a link for making a trap and you can put seed under it to ensure he is caught:

http://www.racingbirds.com/ptrap.html

[littlecakes]

One of the NYCPRC members bought a trap which he lends out so we can probably use his. I am waiting for the finder to email me back about what the owner on Staten Island says but I will start putting his trapping into motion.
Hanna

[Trees Gray]

Thank you for helping this needy bird and for the update.

If he doesn't fly home on his own, he needs to be caught, regardless of whether the owner calls back or not, for the birds safety. Please do continue to update us and thanks again.

[littlecakes]

I am attempting to catch this pigeon tomorrow/today i guess technically. I called the gym but the manager was out and didn't call me back so I will just call once in the morning again and just go. Wish me luck.

[littlecakes]

So I picked up the metal trap from the mother of a rescuer here in NYC and got to the sports club on 34th street, waited an hour for the pool manager who had to watch a class, was led up to the 36th floor!!! I thought the pool was only on the second or third.

Waited half an hour for the pigeon to show up, gave him some seed so I could look at him closer, really really nice looking racing homer, big. Amazingly, his poop looks really good, no green, just brown and white and not watery. He is not injured as far as I can tell either. The people there said he has been coming there for two weeks.

Everyone said he was acting funny today so I am sure he knew that my presence was not normal, besides, I was the only one wearing lots of clothing, everyone else was in bikini's. I am sure a pigeon can see that I am the odd one. I was also wearing a bright yellow shirt, silly me. I'm sure it stood out like a sore thumb.

Tried putting the trap out with seed trail into it and pile inside, he would go and eat all the seed around the trap and stare at the seed inside. It's a good possibility he is too big for the entrance, he is very tall and big, even for a pigeon. I decided to leave the trap set up on the deck where it is always shady. I left the pool manager and lifeguard my cell # in case he went in today or if they found him first thing in the morning trapped. Everyone was very helpful and great, all the regulars at the pool have been trying to figure out how to get him home for two weeks they said. They wished they could keep him as a mascot they said but they knew the pool was going to close for the season on labor day so they were very worried.

The pool is very secure. When they close for the evening it will be locked, the lifeguard or manager are always there for safety reasons. No one will mess with the bird if caught tonight. Pool manager said he would call me first thing in the morning with a report.

Since I think he might be too big for this trap, I am going to make a box trap tonight and hopefully have a few hours tomorrow to run over there and try it out. One like the trap that Trees Gray suggested from the website they posted.

I think I might have to wear a bathing suit tomorrow.
Hanna

[littlecakes]

Trees Gray - the cardboard box trap worked like a charm although I had some trouble with the wind on such a high floor. (I think it was the 36th floor)

I'm taking him to see the Wild Bird Fund rehabber tomorrow to get a check up and fecal test and also get advice on what is going to be the best new home for him.

He is gorgeous, such a nice powdery blue/lavender. I will take a picture of him when we are at Animal General.

[little bird]

Good job, littlecakes.

[littlecakes]

Here is "Mr. Midtown" coming back from seeing the rehabber. He is going to get a soft release with a managed flock in Tribeca on the balcony of another hi-rise. Considering he seemed to like the pool on the 36th floor on the other side of town, the 39th floor shouldn't be a problem. We are hoping he'll meet up with a potential mate while he is still getting acclimated to the balcony in a cage so he will have extra incentive to join the flock and come back for his food and water.

It was the best solution Rita at the wild bird fund could think of since after checking him out, she deemed him a very healthy and strong flier.

[LokotaLoft]

why would you release him back into the wild when he is a banded homer did you even try tracing the band back to the owner yet Im sure someone would love to take him in since theres a ton of flyers in the ny area and hes just a 2008 bird that probably lost his way or was scared off by a hawk..dont turn him loose on the streets again when there are far better ways of dealing with this then that

[littlecakes]

We TRIED tracing the band. We were able to talk to the secretary of the club who said "I know the guy (owner)" they didn't call us back. We called one more time after that even.

I guess the NY rescuers haven't had much good experience with many flyers in the 5 Boroughs of the city, some have handed over birds only to have their necks broken right in front of them.

I can only trust that the folks at the Wild Bird Fund know what they are doing as they are really the only pigeon rehabbers in New York City that anyone trusts implicitly.

If anyone here knows any great racers in New York City that might want him, he will be available for another ten days.

He isn't being just thrown into the wild, he is going to be acclimated to a balcony area in a large cage for ten days where he will be able to see and mingle with the flock that comes every day for food and water. Included in the flock are others that have been soft released into the flock for various reasons. The cage door will be opened after ten days, it wont be removed for another 4-5 days so it can keep coming back.

That is how it has been explained to me. Sorry if I am being ignorant but this is only the third pigeon I have helped and can only go by what I am being told. If someone has a better idea please tell me!

I had asked if a home with the lovely vet tech who lost a rescued racer, Cat, would be a good home and was told by the rehabbers that he would not make a good "pet" pigeon. That was my original idea.