Sad sad day

[auroraborealis]

Dear friends

We are so devastated. After 3 weeks of rehab, we lost Rocky while cleaning his cage. Never before did he dare to fly out of his cage but the past week he was getting very restless and pacing around. All the signs were there but we just did not want to see them. He was on Poulette's suggested diet (Hagen's special mix for pigeons and doves) plus Treesa's garlic cocktail. The change in Rocky was incredible plus he was free flying in the garage every day. His broken feathers had healed and were growing back.

He flew up the highest tree and just stood there awhile, the wind in his feathers, and did not even respond to our pleas and crying. He was free at last. We can only hope that he will safely find his way home.

Thank you Rocky. We will never forget you and if you decide to fly back to us we will always be there for you.

We spent most of the evening in tears staring at the sky hoping he will return.
I think that we will still be waiting for him and the pain of losing him will be with us for a long time.

Thank you all for your kindness and your never ending support.

[Flying_Pidgy]

Im so sorry that happend but it happens to the best of us. Happed to me also my pidgys first baby a very beautiful pied pigeon. But you must remember they have good instincts and i am positive rocky will have SOO much fun flying with his new friends. I am sure he cant thank you enough for looking after him while he needed it. Take care =)

[Trees Gray]

I'm so sorry that you feel that you lost Rocky, but it sounds like you did everything for him to regain his health and the goal is for him to live the life he was born to. He is then not really lost.

Was he still needing further rehab?

It is a hard moment when they leave, sort of bitter sweet, and we always hope and pray for the best, and I'm going to send out special prayers that he does well, which he probably will.

Maybe he will come back and visit, it might be good to leave some seed and water out for him for now.

Thank you for all you did for Rocky, and sending you a big comforting hug.

[feralpigeon]

Hi auroraborealis,

It's kind of a mixed feeling releasing a pigeon whom one has rehabbed in that we do grow fond of them on the one hand, and on the other, when they are ready
to go, and take that first big flight away from us.....we know that they are off to their feral world again and our paths may or may not cross again.

Sounds like you did a wonderful job bringing Rocky back to good health and he felt strong and simply did what ferals frequently do, return to their feral friends/family to live their feral life. I'm sorry that it took you by surprise, which is more difficult than taking a deliberate step to release, but this really couldn't have happened without the great job that you did in restoring his health. Thanks for everything that you did for Rocky.

fp

[auroraborealis]

Hello to all again!

Rocky was a year old male. After some terrible crash from the bridge on the rocks below, he had wounds on his side and some broken and bleeding feathers.

When he decided to leave us on Sunday, all wounds were healed and new feathers were growing back in. I honestly can not tell you all out front that his flying skills are fully regained. It is extremely hot over here and some light breeze so maybe this is to his advantage for now. We wanted to keep him until all his feathers had grown back...and we were not planning to release him. Rocky just had enough of his cage life and used to fly near the window and look out. That used to break our hearts. I think we would have lost him
sooner or later...he was just waiting for that split second to escape.

He was exercising daily and built strength. He never fully trusted us. He was always wing slapping us (especially me who was feeding him often) which is the best since he is now on his own in a not too pigeon-friendly world.

Thank you all for your kind words.

[feralpigeon]

Well, sooner or later, knowing what Rocky wanted out of the deal, you may have followed your heart anyway and released him. One of these days, a feral will need your help who is truly unreleasable without a doubt, and I'm sure that feral will be glad to find its' way to you.

BTW, that's a handsome avatar.

fp

[Poulette]

Don't loose hope to see Rocky again! I still feed a pigeon I rescued and released 2 years ago. I meet him and his flock in a park, every work day. You never know, maybe he will come back at your house for those good seeds!

Suz.