Wild Squeak-a-Bug's close call with Traffic

[pdpbison]

Hi all,

Golly, to-days little Squeak-a-Bug...

I was driving on a very busy street, two lanes each way, with a center lane for turns...and, speeding along 45 ish with people passing me, I glimpse just a hint of some little thing on the ground just on the yellow lines which distinguish the left travel lane from the center turn lane...

I keep driving, but it bothers me, "Was 'that' by any chance a very young Pigeon? It had seemed featureless, but...I turn around, drive back, get close to it, and seeing better, I think, 'Nahhhh, its something, but not a Bird...then I walk over closer, cars really screaming by fast, and sure enough! it IS a little Squeaker!

So, I scoop him up, climb back into the old Step Van, and proceed to the Post Office where I had some packages to ship.

Anyway, how in the heck he ever got "there" I have no idea...

He has a limp left Leg, otherwise seems fine...was hungry and thirsty but made a few poops from a not too long before mom-and-dad feed...so...

I decided just to put him in the front of my shirt, to one side, so my body could comfort him and keep him warm, so, for an hour, I s---l---o---w---l---y proceed throug he line at the Post Office, every now and then gently patting or snuggleing him through my shirt, and eventually I realized that this might look a little odd, someone with a strange 'lump' to one side of their stomach, just above their belt, who occasionally gently pats or caresses the 'lump'...

Lol...

Oh well, I did get some almost 'looks' but I spose no one wanted to be too obvious about it.

Got him home then, set him up on a heating pad, then, in a tray on a soft towell on the small Sharpening room where I have hours of Work to do, so he could be close and see me being close by and so on...he seems very happy and glad his ordeal of earlier is done with...gave him some tepid Water drinks...and later, some formula feeding time which he really enjoyed.

A totally darling little Pigeon...

I'll see about an image later tonight sometime.


Phil
Las Vegas

[TAWhatley]

Well done, Phil! Congrats on another wonderful save. I'll look forward to the pics when you can!

Terry

[feralpigeon]

Well, Phil, that was a close call for the both of you and glad that you both
tap-danced your way out of it. H/she was probably tickled to death to hang
out in your shirt at the PO for an hour 'cause it sure beats the previous location. Look forward to the pics.

fp

[Pigeonpal2002]

Originally Posted by pdpbison

Anyway, how in the heck he ever got "there" I have no idea...
Phil
Las Vegas

Hi Phil,

Talk about a close call and this was very keen intuition on your part to back for a second look!

I think that when young pigeons or birds are found in unlikely locations like this, it's probably the work of crows. They will carry them off to eat elsewhere and probably drop some due to the prey wiggling or squirming in their beak. The traffic then likely prevented the crow from returning to collect his meal.

Of course I don't know if this was the case for sure in this situation, but I do believe that this could explain a number of situations were baby birds are found in places they shouldn't be.

Good luck with this little baby

[Pidgey]

Poor little guy! Such a harsh world out there but, oh, well, he's certain to become spoiled now.

I wonder if that left leg is broken? They sure can act limp when they are.

Pidgey

[Reti]

Great rescue Phil. Lucky little guy.
Hope he is doing well and looking forward to pics.

Reti

[Trees Gray]

Hi Phil,

Great save WOW! It is a good thing you came along when you did. I hope the leg is just sprained.

Now, we want pictures!

[pigeonmama]

Thank you so much, Phil. You are definitely "guardian angel" to this little kid.
Daryl

[Maggie-NC]

Phil, you old softie. Good job.

[pdpbison]

Lol...

Morning all...

Well, he is doing well.

Looked like some Canker going on, so I got him started on some meds for that.

Brought in a tiny bowl of small to medium Seeds yesterday evening, and he did some very tentative little touching of them with the tip of his Beak, then he'd look at me, and I'd say, "You just peck those Seeds now, and I guarantee you, you will like them!"

You know how this goes...so, he does some little light sort of 'pecks', but does not open the tip of his Beak, so all it does is move the seed a little.

I 'peck' too of course, useing my finger tips like Tweezer ends, lifting Seeds, dropping them...he gets a little wound up, making those charming soft honking soudns and peeping, then, sure enough, he pecks one and gets it.

This was SO cute! He did that, looked at me and looked so vivd and expectant, so I gave lots of praise and sounds of encouragement, and he did it again, then again...softly 'preening' their Crop with a fingertip also seems to somehow help them in this stage of discovering 'pecking', so I did some of that too.

then, I'd say, "Try that little green one there on the left..." and sure enough he'd get that one, then look at me.

I'd say, "Get that little white Safflower one, there top center...'bam' he'd get that one.

...we did that for quite a few seeds, where I'd say which one to get, and by golly he'd nail it.

Anyway, he was very proud of himself and happy with this and we just hung out doing that off and on between my Grinding work spells, two feet away.

Leg seems sprained to me, he can raise it and one time tried to scratch the side of his head on that side with that Leg and almost did it...so, not-a-break I don't think. Seemed way 'limp' yesterday, so, some improves there it seems just overnight.

He uses his Wing on that side if he wants to move over or move to the edge of the cloth to poop. Sort of stands on the good Leg, puts his Wing out, steadies himself, takes a sort of small heavy step, then repeats...

Pretty slow and tedious, but that is his method, and it works in it's way of course.

Eating like-a-Horse this morning, just "bam-bam-bam-bam-bam" Seed after Seed, even the small dried Peas.

I just let him spend the night there in the grinding room ( well from 3:00 a.m. when I called it a night, to about 9:00 a.m. when I got back to Work in there) where I have a space heater that does not make the Air any worse, but I will bring him out into his Warm-Cage in another day or two so he can be near the ambient other Birds in here.

I figured he would like the approximate Peace and Quiet ( grinding noises are not too bad at all in there, ) and me being close as I did my Grinding Work so we could visit and he could feel there was someone 'there' and so on...seems like the right thing to do and he liked it, too.

Poops comeing through just fine and he learned to Drink out of a Tea Cup right away also, so long as I have my finger tips on his Beak sides anyway...soon he will not need that detail of course.


Best wishes everyone!

Phil
Las Vegas

[pdpbison]

...a couple images made this morning...

Let me know if the link works alright...

http://public.fotki.com/PhilBphil/december-13th-squea/


Phil
Las Vegas

[TAWhatley]

That's really a cute youngster, Phil .. and a pretty smart one too to be able to peck on command and get the right seed! Obviously, the link worked or wouldn't have been able to view the pictures.

Terry

[TerriB]

Way to go, Phil! We're going to have to start calling you "Eagle Eye"! Tucking him into your shirt took care of item one on the checklist - warm 'em up.

Baby bird thoughts: "Ackk!! Scarey!! Loud noises!! Huge things rushing by!! Cold!! Really scarey!!!" (scoop) "?!? Hmm, quieter, warm. Feels safe and secure." (later) "Water, nice. Warm food - yum! Ahh, now I can relax and catch some baby zzzz's." Merry Christmas, baby bird!

You have an amazing connection to the birds. Not surprising that the baby bird would follow your lead regarding which seed to try next. Please extend my congratulations on his new-found skills!

[mr squeaks]

Only you, Dr. Doolittle, only you. I would expect nothing less from you than you have the little one safe and sound in your shirt waiting in the PO line!

He's a cutie! So glad to hear he's coming along well! Sending HUGS and SCRITCHES to you both!

Of course, you now have to update us on his development - just when you thought it was safe to slack off on the postings!

The BESTEST HOLIDAY WISHES !!

From:
Shi
Mr. Squeaks

[Maggie-NC]

Phil, after seeing how young he really is I believe you need to name him Lucky or something like that. Wonder how in the world he got where he did. He looks really sweet and overall pretty healthy. His feathers look shiny.

You did good and I hope his leg continues to improve.