Backyard Tales Vol. 344 (or so)

It's been an interesting week here in our backyard with a couple unique visitors.

Over the long weekend this beautiful pigeon stopped in.  It was hanging out with one of the ferals and sat in the tree for a while watching the others feed below.  Both Angie and I were quite interested in this guy and tried to coax him down to us.  The things you do when you are on a "stay at home" order during a pandemic.  Ha ha!

You can see that the bird is banded.  I assume he's a racing pigeon and just had a little time out on his journey.

He flew off with the feral bird after a little while and we have not seen him again.

Then, a couple days later, I am at work and Angie texts me a photo of another stand out pigeon/dove visitor showing up that afternoon.  It was an all white bird.  I was rather envious of her sighting and hoped it would be there in the morning.

Morning came, and there she was...

It's some kind of dove species.  It's not banded.  Was it released at someone's wedding, or some other kind of celebration?  Only the bird knows, eh.

I enjoyed the morning watching this bird, taking photos, and ensuring it was getting food.  The dove ate, flew to the trees, preened, napped and repeated the process.

I know it's not a wild bird.  It isn't meant to be a wild bird.  It is an easy target for a predator, be it a hawk or a cat.  

I had to go to work soon but I could still get things rolling on how to help it, if I could catch it.  I posted on a Facebook pigeon and dove rescue page for starts, seeking advice.  I texted and emailed a few friends who might also have some advice.  The main thing I was wanting to know was where I could take the bird if I caught it.  As much as I wouldn't object to having a pet pigeon or dove, it just wouldn't work here at home right now.  Not with our two very curious calico cats Merry and Molly.  

A larger white bird would be too much for them.  Our house is too small and the only safe way to house such a bird would be to lock it up in the back bedroom, not to be seen or interacted with.  How fair would that be?

As I drove to work, comments were flowing on social media (not that I could check them but my phone was pinging).  I called my mom, yes via hands free blue tooth, and asked about them holding the dove for me, if I caught it, while I figured out where she could go.  Thankfully my parents like animals and currently only have a small dog in the house, so they didn't hesitate to say "yes".  

I should add that I set out our larger spare bird cage on the lawn before going to work.  A long shot but maybe the dove knows what a cage is and would go into it, knowing that there should be food within.  The cage thing worked on our budgie Misfit many years ago when she was living out back all summer.  I had nothing to lose setting it out.

I thought about that bird a lot while at work.  The visions of her zoning out in the tree.

Feeding with the pigeons.

Churchill was really giving her a hard time at one point.  He's king shit around here these days.

She was on the trail cam early in the morning as I was still in bed.

I was enamoured with her and really hoped to be able to do something for her.  I certainly was making the effort and preparing for a morning rescue.

Today is that morning.  It's cold (feeling like 2 C right now).  It's dark.  It's raining.  All the nasty elements to add to this story that makes ya really hope it's all going to work out for the sweetie.  Guess what?  She's no where to be seen.

I had my coffee sitting by the kitchen window, waiting and watching.  I've gone out every hour since waking up, looking up into the back trees where I found her a couple times yesterday.  Angie is keeping watch every time she passes through the kitchen and will do so when I am at work.

We shall see if that is the end of this story or if she is going to reappear over the weekend.  

I hope she's alright wherever she is, especially on such a cold wet late May morning.

*borrowed Google image below*