Roller missing after hawk attack

[RodSD]

I put my rollers inside the loft for the first time yesterday. Today, I released all my homers, but left the rollers inside while I cleaned the loft. After release a big cooper (could be female) swooped down from nowhere scattering all my birds high up. Then it hid in the usual tree. When my birds were landing from flying, the hawk chased my white pigeon and caught up with it. Both fell towards the ground. I saw it and I gave chase, shouting, waiving my arms. In haste, I forgot to close my loft door and one roller came out. It flew really high flying with my other birds still in the air. It rolled couple of times, too, even when the hawk was present. Then they all landed and the hawk chased them again, scattering them one more time. My roller didn't know what to do. It just followed my other birds. It tried to keep up, but always at the tail end. Then they landed one more time. I am now desperate because these birds must go inside else someone is going to die. I gave my feed call and all my homers went inside except my roller. My roller stayed on the house roof. This bird was not trained yet properly. My rollers are with me just for 4 days. I gave my feed call one more time and it tried to land on my loft roof when something scared it and took off one more time, circled and was gone! Damn it! I should have taken my own advice of locking down after hawk attack. But I thought this is summer and not winter! This is highly depressing....

[Charis]

Unbelieveable!

[Anarrowescape]

I am sorry to hear you are missing one of your birds Rod. I hope he/she comes back. I always see alot of hawks at camp pendleton. There is also a small flock of pigeons about 6-10 pigeons. The hawks seem to prefare squrells to pigeons tho so there lucky. Best of luck getting your roller back. Robert.

[Msfreebird]

I would most definitely be a wreck after what you (and your birds) went thru!
Here I am - a basket case over 1 missing bird. Thats why I can't free fly them
Hope she makes it home.

[della]

Even worse Was your white homer injured? I do hope your roller returns, but it doesn't sound real good, does it...

[jameswaller]

i would be scouring the neighbor hood,,leaving food and water out,,catching her is going to be the tricky part,,unless she is close to the infirmary/nest,./.i have had good luck with a large fish net,with long handle,..happy hunting,hope all turns out well,..sincerely james waller

[RodSD]

I released my search team birds to find my missing rollers at 4 pm. Something scared them during takeoff because they all panicked. I panicked, too, and sticked my head outside the loft door again. There goes another roller escaping. Damn! It flew and disappeared and I thought I must be doing something wrong. Talk about luck. My search team landed. They didn't want to fly, and the new escapee roller was missing. I felt like slapping myself. But then something flew and this new escapee came back from nowhere. I felt happy. I decided to call the search off and called them in. This new escapee was smart that it trapped with my homers.

I stayed in the backyard from 4 pm to 6:53 pm standing, waiting for some sign of my lost roller. No sign until I went to the front yard and I saw what I thought was hope. I saw this dark checker with white flight. It looks like my missing roller so I ran fast toward the backyard and released my 7 search team birds. They flew, but the dark checker white flight bird didn't seem to have seen them. My birds landed right away. They still don't want to fly. Then suddenly the dark checker white flight bird made a u-turn and flew overhead, then landed. It was my missing roller! I called all them in, but two of my homers decided to stay on the house roof. The roller doesn't know how to trap. It kept on going to the loft door. So I caved in and open the door hoping that my other rollers wont come out. It went in. Success!

My last remaining two birds decided to do 2 laps around the loft, then finally went to the loft roof. When I looked up there was a hawk circling. Both went in right away. Silly birds! So in the end I am very happy. I thought this roller is forever lost. But they must love me because they come home.

[RodSD]

My white homer didn't get injured. The hawk just grabbed its tail and both went down. That was the reason why I panicked and rushed towards both to save my homers.

[Tennman1]

Geeez Rod, talk about being lucky. I'm glad it all turned out ok. Where's that paint ball automatic rifle?????

[della]

Great news Rod, - well done!

[RodSD]

No paint ball rifle here, just my arms waving, voice scaring sound, and pretending to be a bad guy running towards a hawk. Many times hawks find it hilarious so they probably fly out laughing telling their friends about a guy who ineffectively can't protects his pigeons much. I'll bet they are doing it for fun now just to see my reaction.

On the good or bad news my escapee roller, which is the oldest, has now chosen my homer as mate. They are now in their private box. I can't get a break. These birds don't like to mate with their own kind somehow. And because I don't force mating I can't seem to get pure breed mating with each other. What gives?!

[Anarrowescape]

I am glad to hear your roller came back Rod . Best of luck with your birds.

[RodSD]

Thanks Robert!

My dad trained with the marines in Camp Pendleton long ago before he retired from the military.