Nice Surprise

I haven't blogged since December of last year.  It was a real downer of a blog too.  I thought to re-read it as I am not sure if I wrote about the pigeons and how they disappeared.  If I didn't, well, they did disappear.  This happens with some of my pigeon buds during the winter and I always blame the increased hawk activity.  Not all disappear, just some; but this time they all disappeared.  I didn't have a pigeon visit me since before Christmas.  None in January.  None in February.  None in March.  Honestly I gave up hope on seeing any here again by mid-February.  I still made sure I had shelled sunflower chips on hand if I ever saw one again.  Thank goodness that I did as Friday morning when I was just getting settled at the kitchen window with my first coffee of the day in came a pigeon.  The bird landed on a flat roof bird house that I have set up not far from our back deck.  Instantly I thought of my last buddy that we named Piper.  He normally would land on this bird house as I often would place food up there for him when I was done playing with him...  hand feeding and taking photos of him.

I quickly got myself together to go outside and see if it was him, with a handful of seed.  As soon as I stepped out the door, the pigeon flew right to me.  I put my hand out and it landed on my finger tips without any hesitation.  I was shocked!  And very happy at his return.

As he ate, I talked to him.  I asked him where he's been for the last 4 months.  I told him that I missed him and how happy I was that he returned.  Piper gobbled up the food and took brief moments to stop and look at me.

After a couple handfuls of seed he flew away.  I said something about not taking so long to come back.  I'd like to think that most of you reading this can relate to my ramblings to Piper.  Who doesn't talk to animals?  Whether Piper understood me or not, he came back about 3 hours later and had another feed.  He's also been back Saturday and Sunday a few times.  It is like no time had passed.

If only he could talk and tell me where he's been, why he left, what happened to all of his flock, etc.  A second bird showed up with him today.  Hmmm?  Will there be more soon?

I've been mingling with pigeons for over a decade now.  To suddenly not have any, and for so long, hit me hard, especially with how I already was mentally late last year.

I think it's very special when these birds come back to me after a number of months.  Sure they may be just pigeons to some people but for me, they are my friends.  If you aren't familiar with my friendship to pigeons, you can catch up in this blog here that I did a few years ago for Bird Canada.

Spring is finally here.  My pigeon has come back.  Life is good.