Found pigeon is now 150 miles from where we found it.

[doogiewray]

Hi-

My friend who runs a dairy farm in Connecticut (www.catocornerfarm.com) found a beautiful pigeon at the Green Market in New York City when she was selling her cheese last Saturday.

It was very cold and almost unresponsive, so she kept it in a box in her van. When it was time to leave, it was still very cold (it was a frigid day/week), so she took home to CT (about 150 miles from where it was found).

During the last week, with warmth, water, birdseed and love, it is doing much better, but we're reluctant to release it because of the distance from where it was found and because it is still very cold in the northeast.

It's band: NPA 7 07 CD 602 (which we take to mean: registered with the NPA; size 7 band; born 2007; i.d. CD 602).

We wrote an email to the NPA, but they are all at the NPA Grand National in Michigan until next Tuesday (office closed).

Is there anyone else who can help us get in contact with the owner? It's a beautiful bird!

[TAWhatley]

Hi and welcome to Pigeon-Talk. Unfortunately there is no way to locate the owner until the NPA band secretary is back home and able to look up the information for us. Given the size 7 band, I would say that this bird should not be released under any circumstances. The bird is probably a Roller or another small breed of show or performing pigeon that would not fare well on its own or be able to find the way home.

Terry

[Pidgey]

Can you feel the breastbone (keel) and see if it's real prominent (sticks out like a knife)?

Pidgey

[maryjane]

Hi Doogiewray, thanks so much for taking this pigeon in, I'm sure you saved its life. Please go to 911 Pigeon Alert and post about it there, as this is the fastest and best way to find the owner since it is banded. Keep in mind the owner may not want it back, if it was lost during a race. Hopefully they will want it back. Please, whatever you do, do NOT release it. It is not used to being outdoors, especially in this weather, and that's undoubtedly how it ended up in that situation in the first place. If the owner is located and does not want it back, we have several members in NY who will probably be able to help. The good people on 911 Pigeon Alert should be able to track it down. Please keep us updated and check back here for any additional advice as more members log on throughout the day. Thanks again to you and your friend for saving it.

[doogiewray]

Thanks for all the advice. I'll try to answer questions above when I have a bit more time (errands to run). I did a google search on 911 pigeon alert, but the link for their preformatted alert form seems to be broken. I finally found the yahoo group by the same name, joined it and posted the same note (with a bit of editing) there, so we'll see what happens.

It's kind of ironic, but this summer we just torn down a beautiful old shed on the farm. We're not sure what we're going to do with the piece we saved from the front wall just under the peak, but it has beautiful lines and about a half-dozen triangular holes that lead to what look like homing pigeon "homes" (the holes lead to a boxed in section that runs the width of the old shed).

Maybe it will get some use, after all, right? (grin)

Again, thanks ... you folks sound like really good and concerned people (in a relatively self-centered and care-less World).

Douglas

"In the end, only kindness matters."

[maryjane]

Well, I posted while Terry posted so I could be wrong about 911 being able to help, I guess we will see. That is always a good option, to keep him, if you can set up an area for him. More will probably find you and/or your friend; I swear, word gets out amongst pigeons lol. I love your quote, as it's so true; in the end only kindness matters.

[LokotaLoft]

kindness and a handful of seed

[maryjane]

Originally Posted by LokotaLoft

kindness and a handful of seed

Lol, that's the truth! I'm sure you know, but be sure to provide some red grit for him. That is how they digest their seeds, with the help of grit.

[george simon]

Hi Douglas, The number 7 band is not a homing pigeon band if you release it,it will not get home. This is a show bird of some kind. i would love to see a picture of this bird. GEORGE

[george simon]

HI DOUGLAS, I check out your web site and I am empressed, love the names of your cheeses Hooligan,Drunken Hooligan, and Drunk Monk. I see that there is a store in DEL MAR, CA, thats just down the road about 25 miles next time I am down that way I will stop. .GEORGE

[Spin city]

hello mate you got any pics of this bird???

if you do show us

[Feather]

Please thank your friend for careing enough to help this litte orphan. So many people just walk by or just step over them, and leave them there to die.
I hope that you are able to keep this little bird.

[doogiewray]

OK, let's see now, first off, the pigeon is doing quite well. We moved him(?)/her(?)(how do we tell, anyhow?) into a larger dog crate (one with solid sides, but wired front) which means it can now stretch its wings and it seems much happier than cooped up in the small cat crate (it doesn't get its food mixed into the water anymore since they aren't side by side now).

When I get done typing this, I'm going to go outside and lop off a branch that will fit through the upper side ventilation holes to give it a perch (not sure if it will use it, but what the hell, right?).

Now for the detective work: Steve at NPA headquarters wrote to us and said that the band was sold by Foy's Pigeon Supplies. We called them and they gave us the name and phone number of a fellow in Edmeston, NY. We then called him and he said that he sells alot of pigeons and that he thought that this one had been sold to someone in Manhattan, but that he really had no way of tracking him down. After our description of the bird, he said that it was a "Flight Pigeon" (though that might have a different spelling, that's how it sounded over the phone). He was very helpful, but, alas, no owner identified yet. I guess the only hope is if the owner reads one of these bulletin boards.

Also, someone (Pidgy?) above asked about the breastbone: yes, it is very pronounced.

Lastly, I have a few pictures and I will try to figure out how to post them here next. Wait, let me try something here and we'll see if it works:

<img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2230/2231277036_e323c939b8_o.jpg">
<img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2123/2231277042_e728e5472d.jpg">
<img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2176/2231277046_09d0008fc6.jpg">

(If it doesn't crash the whole system, maybe you can find the urls of the three pictures).

Thanks for all your concern.

Oh, one last thing (now don't start snickering and saying "we told you so"): the bird is starting to grow on us.

Douglas

"In the end, only kindness matters."

[doogiewray]

I just noticed this feature; let me try it:

[TheSnipes]

S/he is beautiful!!! My kind of pigeon