[Fishing Creek]

Sunday - 6/1/22
at least once every other year we get a visit from a racing pigeon

our latest showed up several days ago, found resting against our front door in the morning

we captured fed and watered her/him and sheltered the bird for close to 36 hours

my husband then took pidg outside and let her (that's the pronoun we've chosen) fly

however, she only flew to the roof!

we were set to leave within the next several hours to attend a wedding for which we'd be away from home for several days. so, my husband, seeing that she hadn't taken flight, tried to recapture her - he was up on the roof to no avail! our main worry was the local Red Tail

so, in the end all we could do was fill an empty birdbath with water and get on the road

upon our return last evening we looked but did not see the pidg anywhere

however, as my husband went to the road to retrieve the mail, I proceeded to the front door

that's when I heard her fly in, landing at my feet

so, I opened the door and in she went!

she's banded on both legs so we know she belongs to someone somewhere

my question to you is, is it true what we've read? Is this racer considered a "loser"? meaning that it has under preformed and wouldn't be suitable for the owner to breed and would therefore be culled by whatever means is common in this sporting world? If that's the case, should we pass this beauty along to a rescue organization?

 

[mercedes15]

No, thats not true. Find the owner, he will be very happy you got him.
don’t give to animal rescue, they will kill him.

 

[Marina B]

If you track down the owner and he is prepared to pay for transport to get the pigeon back, then you know pigeon will be ok. If he tells you to put pigeon back outside, then he probably does not care.

 

[Fishing Creek]

No, thats not true. Find the owner, he will be very happy you got him.
don’t give to animal rescue, they will kill him.

Thanks very much for replying. We've emailed the contact listed for the International Federation of American Homing Pigeon Fanciers as that's what the banding number indicated and are waiting to hear back.

 

[Fishing Creek]

If you track down the owner and he is prepared to pay for transport to get the pigeon back, then you know pigeon will be ok. If he tells you to put pigeon back outside, then he probably does not care.

Thanks for your reply, we're waiting to hear back as to who owner is.

 

[Fishing Creek]

6/21/22
Pidg Update

having not heard back from the the “lost and found” person at the International
Federation of American Homing Pigeon Fanciers and even tho I looked at their
Band Listings, I was not smart enough to figure out that the letters below the numbers
identified the club.
Anyway, last evening I looked over the list and found a person who lives in our general
area and gave him a call. He was amazingly helpful and was able to give me the
name of the owner who lives in the Bronx
I called and spoke with him and found that the race that this pidg (itsa him) was in started
in Ohio. apparently there was bad weather and that's what brought his bird to our front door
on Thursday 6/16. He said that they'd lost a number of birds in this race and that he'd also gotten a call from
someone in Stroudsburg, PA (approx 120 miles from Harrisburg, PA) who had one of his birds
I told him that we'd been watering and feeding (lentils, rice, popcorn, wheat – all raw) his bird and asked what to do next. He asked if we had any vitamins and electrolytes, but we had no bird vitamins nor electrolytes on hand.
He said that Pedialyte would work and told me how to dilute it. I told him how long we'd had the pidg and he said to hold it until this Saturday, June 25th and then to let him fly!

How does this plan sound?

 

[Marina B]

So how far is the owner from your home?

 

[Fishing Creek]

So how far is the owner from your home?

We're in Harrisburg, Pa and he's in Bronx, NY so that's approx 164 miles

 

[Marina B]

Yes, difficult decision to make. But you did set her free and she stayed. So, keep her! She sounds very tame.

 

[Fishing Creek]

Decision to make!

 

[Fishing Creek]

No, thats not true. Find the owner, he will be very happy you got him.
don’t give to animal rescue, they will kill him.

thanks for the input

 

[Fishing Creek]

Decision to make!

Now there's a possibility that my husband will be making a delivery in the NYCity area this week, so this bird may have a one way ticket home.

 

[Fishing Creek]

All's well that ends well, pigeon had a ticket to ride today! Was returned home a bit after 1PM to Long Island where his racing clubhouse is located. My husband reported that as soon as he was put back into the coop he began to strut his stuff! The owner told him that this pidg is a Red Checker.
(before he left I did tell him that he was welcome back here anytime)
Thanks to all for your input and advice
Judy

 

[Marina B]

Glad to hear he is back home!