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#31
7th January 2009, 01:04 PM
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Hi Stephan,
Lilly is getting stronger by the day and it is so good to hear that she is so interested in the other Woodies that visit. If she went free or went to a full time aviary home, she will get along fine with other birds by the sound of it as a result of being able to interact with them as she does now. The set up you have for her has been invaluable in her development. As she is flying more now do you think she has any permanent problem with her wing? If you have been experiencing the cold temperatures we have been here, then it's a good job she has been taken care of over the winter period as it's turned out If you get the time, can you post some new pictures of her, I expect she looks quite a bit more mature now. I'm so glad she is still doing so well. Janet 
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#32
8th January 2009, 01:15 PM
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Dear Janet,
Yes, she is getting stronger by the day, and she is getting more and more beautiful as well (not that she wasn't a beauty anyway...). The last pics I have taken are from mid December, and as I think things have changed further to the better, I will take up to date ones tomorrow or Saturday. So please bear with me. She is flying now more confidently within her confined aviary, this includes now occasionally a perch higher up in the aviary. Her landing technique looks now more elegant too. However, watching her relatives flying in the wild, then there is one big question remaining I cannot answer yet. Has she already got the endurance (and confidence) she would need to fly longer distances? Not yet, I think. Okay, as you have said, it is not the right time of the year for a release anyway. It has been unusually cold here on the island as well. As we are not used to have frost here for longer periods of time, I have got really a bit concerned. This cold spell has persuaded me to provide Lilly with additional warmth during the night (infra red light + heat pad), and I hope it was the right decision (and I haven't spoiled her to much), as I didn't wanted her to bring inside, which would have stressed her unnecessary. Thank you ever so much for your message! Stephan.
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#35
10th January 2009, 04:59 AM
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Hi Stephan,
Lilly looks great, she seems the picture of health, (completely spoilt!). She still very much a juvenile then, I didn't realise how young she must have been when you got her. She must have appreciated the bit of warmth she had over that freezing spell we just had. Maria's Woodie's had 25degrees in their aviary !!!! I've just had to go and break the ice to clean the bowls for the ones I have outside,  no such luxury here !!:  It was good to see Lilly, Janet
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#36
10th January 2009, 11:17 AM
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Thanks. Yeah, she is a beauty... and not spoilt at all... The aviary I have got, provides just a basic shelter. Apart from roof and floor, one half of the aviary is covered from three sides. This usually works fine in our climate, as the aviary is normally only used for native rescue birds. This winter is unusually cold, and the warmth provided didn't do any harm...
I believe that Lilly left her nest pretty early and might have had the accident on her "maiden flight". We have found her on the 16th October last year, after she flew into a window not far from our place. Assuming she was perhaps 30 days of age when she left the nest, then she must be now almost 5 month of age. I have got the feeling, that her development did stop for quite a while, when she had to struggle with her injuries. She still looks pretty young though, I agree, probably to young for her age, don't you think? By the way, today she took me a bit by surprise, as she tried to escape (or at least as she did show me that she knows exactly or theoretically how to get out). She flew deliberately over my head, whilst I was cleaning the aviary from the inside, against the aviary door. This was definitely not an accident. She did aim for the door, started, flew and then she bounced feet first against the door (which wasn't locked...), took off again immediately, passed my head a second time and landed beautifully next to her feeding bowel in front of me. I was impressed! Stephan.
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#37
19th January 2009, 09:42 AM
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Today we have visited Lilly’s new home she will inhabit for the next foreseeable future. I believe that it is now about time for her to be introduced to other Wood Pigeons, to encourage her to interact more with her kind and to develop the necessary social skills. She will also have a better chance to improve and test her flying skills in a larger free flight aviary. As you know, this will be a crucial time for her, as her future obviously depends on the outcome. We all hope, that this new place will certainly give her another boost on her way in to freedom, or it might provide at least a secure and nice place amongst other residential Woodies, if things are not working out the way we all wish. On Friday Lilly will join a flock of four residential and three potential releasable Wood Pigeons here on the island not far away from where we live. Fingers crossed that she will settle in easily and without being to much stressed out by her move to the new place. I'm going to keep you posted.
Stephan
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#38
22nd January 2009, 02:12 PM
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Hi Stephen,
I nearly missed this latest news. That's so lucky you've found a place for her locally, does that mean you will be able to see her from now on or not? It's great that she will have a life with her own kind and may even go free, who knows ! One way or another she can't lose, I'm sure she'll settle quickly and be happy. Now you might be a different matter. It will be hard to leave her having seen her through such a crucial time. You've done a great job with her though. I hope we can hear how she gets along. Good luck, Janet
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#39
22nd January 2009, 02:48 PM
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Hi Janet,
I will be able to visit her as often as I want, within reasons obviously. A slight change of plan happened today though, Lilly will move home next week and not tomorrow as planned previously, as the nice lady who will taking care of her has caught a cold and wasn't feeling to well today. Anyway, that gives me another couple of days to spoil her a little bit more... Yes, I know, it is always tough to let a bird go. I have actually never had a rescue bird that long before. And, on top of that, it is a sad time for us anyway, as we have just lost a good cockatiel friend unexpectedly the day before yesterday. But I do know one thing for sure as well when I'm looking into Lilly's eyes, although we both have "bonded" quite well, deep inside Lilly is sad and she doesn't want to be only by her own the whole day. The new place will give her what she needs most - friends of her own kind, and that it is what counts (says the "logical part" inside me). I will keep you posted. Many thanks, Stephan.
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#40
29th January 2009, 11:56 AM
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Today we have Lilly eventually transfered to her new home. After the initial shock of being caught and released in a new strange environment, she soon started to look around being obviously very interested in her new inmates. I'm very happy that the transfer was straight forward and that no complications have occurred. I hope that she will settle in quickly and that she will enjoy the new company and freedom, although she will be missed greatly!!!
Stephan Last edited by rook; 12th September 2009 at 10:08 AM.
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#41
29th January 2009, 01:50 PM
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Hi Stephan,
Good news indeed that you have Lilly safely installed in her new home. Lovely to see the pictures of her with a new friend. She still looks young when compared with the other Woodie in the picture. I hope she has a good and happy life, and she owes it all to you !!  I hope you'll still visit here on PT all the same in case we need your expertise in future. All the best Janet
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#42
29th January 2009, 02:22 PM
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Thanks Janet. It's for sure that I will keep visiting PT in the future, because I really do like this forum as it is always a brilliant place to get help and advice, and to meet like minded people. I think we all know how helpful it is to have "somebody" at hand, who can tell you what to do, or who reassures you that you are doing the right thing. In that context, Lilly says "thank you" as well! - Yeah, she still is very young looking, strange isn't it? But perhaps it is not a bad thing, certainly not for a woman...
Stephan.
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#43
29th January 2009, 02:43 PM
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