Nesting in a plant pot

[Vasp]

Aw, they seem to look so caring, standing there in front of the nest, watching the babies. I always did love pigeons.

[Pisciottano]

Hi Brad,
Many many thanks for posting my photos. With your permision I will send you some new ones when the babies have grown a little. I might add a photo of the view from this balcony since the water has caught your eye. Will be in touch. Thanks again. Gladys

[Pigeonpal2002]

Originally Posted by Pisciottano

Hi Brad,
Many many thanks for posting my photos. With your permision I will send you some new ones when the babies have grown a little. Thanks again. Gladys

Hi Gladys,

You're welcome and feel free to email me more pictures when you're ready

I'm glad you decided to put a bowl of seed and water out for the pigeon pair, this will really help them out to feed their babies and maintain their strength and energy

[Trees Gray]

Oooooh the babies ar precious and adorable. Thank you for sharing them Gladys.

...and Brad, thanks for posting them.

[Pisciottano]

Hi everyone,
Thanks for your mail. I'm glad that you liked the photos. It's encouraging. Will send some more later on, view from the balcony included.

Here is a surprise, to ME in any case. I've noticed for the first time that my hen pigeon has a blue band around one of her legs. Isn't this extraordinaire for a wild city pigeon?! As I mentioned before, this is the same couple who nested on my balcony last summer, but I had never noticed her band before today. I must tell you that I've recently had a cataracte operation which has greatly improved my eyesight Perhaps this blue band has always been there?! Who would want to do this for a wild pigeon and above all HOW!! She is not a friendly bird, she just tolerates me but no question of eating out of my hand or coming near me. In fact, I have found them both more unsociable than last year.

Perhaps I am making a fuss for a very ommon occurrence; if so, please be patient with me. Thanks for "listening". Gladys

[Pigeonpal2002]

Originally Posted by Pisciottano

I've noticed for the first time that my hen pigeon has a blue band around one of her legs. Who would want to do this for a wild pigeon and above all HOW!! . Gladys

Hi Gladys,

I'm not going to be on much longer, I'm in North America and it's 4:30am, lol. In any case, your "blue bar" pigeon might have once been a domesticated pigeon, but gone "wild"....this is not rare at all. Sometimes, pigeons that are domestic, ie:racing/homing pigeons that belonged to someone...they get lost and find their way back into the "wild". Domestic pigeons can very easily integrate back into their wild ancestry and do well.

Can you see if there are any numbers/letters on this band...or, is it just a coloured band. Permanent bands are usually placed on from serious racing pigeon people. "snap on bands" with only colours could indicate a pet only.

[Pisciottano]

WOW Brad, I do hope you don't have some kind of modern computer that wakes you up when you have a message!!!!! Or were you just back from a nice outing in town.

Regarding the blue band around my pigeon's leg, to be able to see if there are any numbers or names on it I would have to hold her after managing to catch her. Hmm... I don't think she would appreciate that. I'm working on improving their trust on me and wouldn't want to spoil things. For a "perhaps ex domestic bird" she is very unsociable. And so is the cock. Perhaps they have had a bad experience since I last saw them last year. Last summer they were not so nervous.

This will be all for this time. I hope you had a good resting sleep. Gladys

[Pigeonpal2002]

Hi Gladys,

LOL (Laughing), no, I don't have a computer that wakes me up when I have a message, no worries. I'm usually up late at night because I work during the night and I'm just used to that

If you have binoculars, you might be able to see if there are numbers on the band. It's not really important though seeing that your wild pair seems to be happily living a life in the wild

I think you should continue to build trust with this pair and just enjoy watching them

[Pigeonpal2002]

Hi Gladys and All,

Here are 3 new updated photos of Gladys' "balcony" family and chicks...they are growing fast as they always do. Pigeons have such quick childhoods and in the blink of an eye, they are grown up! lol

Gladys, you are a caring lady for peacefully watching, enjoying and documenting this family on your balcony. In turn, this family is so lucky they chose your balcony to raise a family on

[Lady Tarheel]

Brad, thanks for posting these beautiful pictures.

Gladys, You are so kind and good to let them raise on your balcony. I know you're enjoying watching them. The pictures you took are very good and show the interaction of the parents with the babies so well. I just love them.

[alvin]

Hi Gladys.
Wow. have you seen the difference in size between the first set of pictures and the most recent ones?
My, don't they grow up fast....

Anyhow. From a quick scan of the posts here I notice that you are curious as to what to feed the parents. I understand that you do not have a pet shop in your town.

Well, Pijies are seed eaters. If you can get your hands on peanuts (raw, unsalted, shelled) that's good. I hear that Safflower seeds are particularly sought after by the more descerning pijies.

To Pijies, that stuff is Caviar, and Fillet Mingeon. - Of course they'll love it.

But your average Pij will be quite happy with Popcorn (not the popped kind, the grains), or Pearl Barley, or dried peas.
Now, that is more like Potatoes, Carrots, and Cabbage.

It's not as nice, but it is cheap, and does the job.


Hope it helps.

[Lin Hansen]

Gladys,

Just wanted to jump in to tell you how much I'm enjoying reading your thread....your pictures are really wonderful! Thanks, Brad, for posting them for us.

Linda

[Feather]

Gladys,

I stopped in today as well. I wanted to see what you had growing in that pot. Well your little flowers are just beautiful. And as Linda, I enjoyed this thread as well.

Feather

[Trees Gray]

Hi Gladys!

I really enjoy seeing these up close and personal pics of the family. You are to be commended for making life easier for mom and pop and the kids. You are helping raise some very happy, and HEALTHY babies, by providing them accomodations and food and water. I wish everyone would be so kind to our noble ferals.

I can't thank you enough!

[Pisciottano]

Hello everyone,
Brad, thanks again for posting my photos which brought me such enchanting messages from so many of you. I'm hoping soon to get hold of the technican who sold me the camera on his return from his holidays and let him show me how to do rhe posting myself as I don't want to become a lifetime responsibility for you!!

Alvin, thanks a lot for your advice on my "food concern" I've takeb good note of your recommendations. Fortunately, after some "investigation" I learnt about a place in town where they sell mostly plants but do a little business on food for domestic animals and birds. I've got two different packets of seeds for turtle doves and doves (what is the difference) and one of the mixtures include crushed oyster shells. So I am not so worried anymore. I wonder, though, if when the little ones will start to eat by themselves and will have access to this adult food, will this be a problem?

My present problem are the sparrows. Not only do they eat the food but they scatter half it all over the balcony floor. I've moved the bowl right up to the nest hoping that the pigeons would not appreciate the sparrows coming too close to the babies but.......nothing doing. The sparrows soon discovered the hidden bowl and neither the cock nor the hen seemed to care. So, here I am daily recivering the dusty scattered seeds , rinsing them in a sieve under the water tap and letting them dry before putting them back in the bowl. Is this necessary, drying them I mean? Surprisingly and fortunately there is no poop from the parents on the balcony floor but I know there will be when the two "youngsters" start walking around. Then I will not be able to recover he scattered seeds anymore. What can I do short of shooting the sparrows??!! Any ideas?

To all of you who have written so nicely to me, which includes Maggie, Linda, Feather and Treesa, thank you very much for your kind comments. Believe me I enjoy immensely this opportunity of watching nature so comfortably, it is like having a good seat at tha theatre. I'm working on assembling all the photos in an album with the sequence from the first egg to the full development of the little ones for my great grandchildren. I usually invent stories for them and my husband draws the characters and situations as the case may be. But this time it will be a real story with real protagonists. As you can see my balcony family is giving me more than I'm giving them. As a plus, I have you all helping me.

Well, I think I have chatted enough for today. Will keep in touch. Gladys