Release: I'm such a wuss....

[Jaye]

OK, so....I have been intending to release my ward of patients for the past several days now.

this would be the 'twins', Ego and Stringbean, who are pushing 50 days old this week....

...and also Lefty, the mature adult feral with the healed broken wing (5-1/2 weeks in a cast/wrap)....and never happy about one minute of being confined !!!

Now, all things being wonderful, I would have loved to just release them out front of my flat, as I did with my pal Squeaker, and my re-release of my healed friend Wingy, earlier this year. However, intermittent hawk problems combined with the evil neighbors (something may be about to have a breakthrough on that, thankfully...but that's another story) combined with foggy, cold, windy weather in my n'hood (in other words, a typical SF summer !) dissuaded me from releasing right in this vicinity.

I got some suggestions from other local members...Feral Pigeon, Ivette, and Arf...and very painstakingly decided where to release. No place was perfect. Weather. Vehicular traffic. Established flocks. Safe park. Water source. Good food sources. Not a lotta hawks.

Some had 2 outta 3, some had 3 outta 4, etc...

Well...I spent the better part of yesterday driving the twins all over the Bay Area...then bringing them back home for the night !!!! As my nerve kept letting me down...first I went across the bridge to a nice, quiet Berkeley n'hood. It didn't feel right to me, plus there were no ferals to be seen...and I had this picture in my mind of releasing them into a rather large, feeding flock...as opposed to just letting them go with no particular presence of adults around. It looked like a nice Park and all, but...

So...we drove back across the bridge....and into North Beach, SF. I had been there a few weeks ago hanging out in Washington Square with my GF, and had been watching the wild flocks havng a grand old time around there. Seemed to have a lot going for it: great weather, large flocks, good food sources (very touristed area and arguably the gastronomic center of the city, plus a park with plenty of scraps), low incedence of hawks.

So, I park...take the carrier out...spot a few ferals foraging in the shade of a big tree...and head for 'em. No sooner do I get there than a toddler and his dad approaches and sends the ferals off.

I look around, trying to find other foragers, but they are all up on rooftops. They are quite obviously flying, but none are to be found on the ground. I walk around the park with the carrier a couple of times...no ferals on the ground. Then I start noticing that, while on 3 sides of the square the streets are small and traffic slow, the fourth is bounded by Columbus St., which is a main thoroughfare always heavily trafficked. In other words, looking outward from the center of the park, it seemed pretty safe and serene...but looking from the outside into the park...it was much more kinetic.

So...I wimped out...put them back in the car and we listened to NPR on the way home.

Mind you, through all of this I was intermittently teary-eyed at regular intervals.

I made a last-ditch effort to release 'em 6 blocks away, in the yard of a cathedral/school in my neighborhood that has large flocks. But it was freezing, foggy, windy, and I only saw 4 pigeons anywhere... low or high. So, we went home.

Today, I tried Ivette's suggestion...cemetery in nearby Colma with a nice pond and a lot of birdlife. A quick search online....and...the town of Colma is ALL cemeteries ! The town was founded on cemeteries....and I couldn't remember which one of the ten she had suggested !!!! (I guess, the one with the duck pond ???).

So...I went to Plan C...loaded up the three of 'em, and headed to Dolores Park, SF Mission district. It had a lot going for it. Great weather, lotsa scraps, low predation...regular watering of the lawns for water source. And flocks !!!!

So, I get there...and..again...not a pidge to be found on the ground...anywhere!!!! Drove around perimeter a few times. Then spotted a big flock perched on the belfry of Mission HS. waited for a while, but they seemed quite content just hanging out up there. Again...I likely could have just let my charges go...and for sure Lefty would have known what to do...but I was worried a tad about the youngsters. Again...this wasn't fitting my internal picture of things.

We loaded up again, and I took them BACK across the bridge to Lake Merritt, Oakland. Karijo - who had left the youngsters with me to take care of - had told me it was a bit of a bird sanctuary area, a lotta species, no dogs allowed, very open and bounded by wooded, tree-lined neighborhoods.

On the way I am figuring...if this place strikes out....we will all be having dinner together again this evening !!!!

So, I took a tour around there, circled the lake 1-1/2 times. Very impressive, beautiful area. Ringed by residential and small commercial district, and tons of birdlife near the water...ducks, geese, herons.

But where were the Pigeons ???? I saw only a half dozen scattered on my first go-around.

Second time around...I found 'em ! A nice big flock sunning themselves on the remains of an old wooden pier at lake's edge, next to a fountain in the lake. At least 20 of 'em !

Viola !!! I parked, took the carriers out, took my container of safflower seeds, and headed over to them. Parked it about 8 yards away; put the carriers down. They all looked at me but none spooked.

THIS was the mental picture I had been supposing.

I sprinkled the seeds and they made a beeline for us....right up to the carriers.

I let Lefty out first. Opening the door, he hesitated only momentarily then walked out right into the middle of the flock and started eating.

I next opened the kids' carrier. Ego, true to form....sprung out w/ no hesitation, and started forgaing like the adults.

Stringbean...also true to form.....stayed in the back of the carrier !
I tried tilting it forward so he/she'd slide out...but no. Only when I started to open the top door did he/she walk out to join the flock...a rather surprised look on his/her face, as if saying "Huh ? Now what's all this, then ????"

A few birds separated her from Ego, but when I noticed that she/he had spotted her sib...I knew it was time to give them my love one more time, and say goodbye. Tearing up, I wished them well as some geese approached to see what the free lunch was about...the flock stood it's ground and kept eating (apparently Lake Merritt's Bird Society has certain things worked out).

I walked back to my car, empty carriers in hand...now not being able to keep from crying.

They are back to being ferals...the life they were born into. I told them I loved them, and I wished them all well, one more time...as I drove back home....

[mr squeaks]

Well, you sure had me tearing up there at the end, Jaye!

I can certainly understand how hard this was for you!

But, from what you said, they have a wonderful place now!

Will you go back to check on them and take some snacks?

Hugs and Scritches to you and the new flock...

Shi

[maryjane]

Congratulations!!! You really do go above and beyond. . .and then above and beyond some more. You can sleep well tonight knowing they're in the best place possible!

[Jaye]

Thanks for the kind words....yes, I tried to find the best place for them. Actually, I will now remember that location as a release site.

I told Karijo the exact location...she works right there on the lake...so perhaps she will stop by to feed now and again.

I would love to go there every day, but it's across the bay and about 20 miles from my flat (which in and of itself doesn't deter me...I am just going to try to maintain my self-control)

They all are healthy and strong and were clearly indicating the time had come for release...so they are in good shape to flourish there.....

But the house sure was quiet and still this morning.....

[Lady Tarheel]

Well, Jaye, welcome to the Wimp Club of which I am a member. I would rather have a root canal than release my babies. BUT, it has to be done to make way for more.

You released them in what sounds like a terrific location and I envy you that. We release at a good location that has a large feral flock, water, bridges, old buildings but it is not an area where there is a lot of activity by people feeding them. There is a lot of natural vegetation there and we can only hope they get the hang of things from the established flock. We take food and water back for about two weeks but a lot of times it doesn't look like anything has eaten.

I had to laugh about your release of Ego. I remember once we took about three carriers full of pigeons to release, opened the doors and out they came, flying high - at least most of them. Some came back and landed on the truck or on us. That makes it super hard on us but you know, there was such joy in watching them soar high and swoop around us and many of them totally disappeared. You can imagine our surprise when we got home and took the carriers out, reached in to pull out the poopy paper and there sat one little drawn up pigeon all by his lonesome. Lewis got back in the truck and took him to join the others.

You had the ideal situation in that you could release the youngsters with an adult who already knew the ropes. That is what we always want to do but the majority of ours came to us as babies or fledglings.

Things do get quiet after they're gone. It can be heart wrenching.

Now, you have room for three more!

[KIPPY]

Well, you had me tearing up. It does sound like a wonderful location.

Well, Jaye, welcome to the Wimp Club of which I am a member. I would rather have a root canal than release my babies.

I'm not sure about the root canal. That's another wimp club for me. I do have problems when releasing even in my own back yard.

[lwerden]

Beautiful story Jay!!! Sounds like you found the perfect spot for them.

It's got to the point where I have to make sure my box of Kleenex is close by every time I log on.

It must have been so hard for you to let them go. I have a bird which is unreleasable, and the thought that I would ever have to let him go just tears my heart apart.

Thanks so much for all you do.

Regards,
Louise

[mr squeaks]

WELL DONE, JAYE!! I am SO GLAD all turned out so well!! KUDOS!!

And, Patty, I can SO relate! My former racing homing pij, Mr. Squeaks, RULES me and my cats with an iron beak. I found him with a badly injured wing, half of which, had to be amputated.

He spends his days either wandering the apartment or sitting on his egg ("daddy" mode). He is one spoiled pigeon. BUT, his secret is ATTITUDE! That's why the cats give him his space and if he wants a taste of their dry food, so be it...

Living with fur and feathers is quite an experience...

Wishing you all the best with love and hugs

Shi