# Trouble with hawks



## Marion Springer (Oct 3, 2007)

Yesterday I looked out to see why the pigeons were all in a panic and saw a hawk grab a pigeon in flight. I ran out , grabbed a broom handle that has several tin cans attatched to it by wires. The contraption makes a heck of a noise when shaken and I shook it furiously. By then the hawk had taken the pigeon past the 6 foot chain link fence and was headed away. 

I stood at the fence shaking my noise maker and shouting for my daugher Linda to come help me. Linda ( Lovely Lacey's mama ), lives next door ...she didn't hear me because she was on the computer checking out Pigeon Talk. 

The gate was 450 feet from where I stood and even if I ran to the gate it would be 300 feet to the corner then back up another 450 feet to where the hawk carrying the pigeon was heading west. I knew he would be in the next county before I could get around the where he was so I ran into the house and got the shot gun. I wouldn't shoot at the predator but I didn't have a problem firing into the air to frighten him away. 

Back at the fence I fired a shot and the hawk put the pigeon on the ground and took off. Linda , still on the computer thinks, hummn, that sounded like a sonic boom and kept on doing what she was doing.

Meanwhile, the hawk is gone and the pigeon is still on the ground a long way from where I stood and now a horde of crows have come out of nowhere so I fire off another shot and the crows all take off. Linda thinks the sound is another sonic boom. 

I set off, gun in hand and ran to where the injured pigeon was waiting. I picked him up and could see that he had hole in his crop with seeds he had eaten showing and also another hole a little higher up on the crop . I could see seeds there also. 

I put the pigeon in a cage in my home and amazing as it seems, today he ate some seeds and seems to be holding his own. 

I have a live-in house pigeon who once had a hole in his crop where food could be seen and it healed up very nicely. That pigeon is HopAlong, my one winged pigeon whose story will be told another day. 
Marion Springer


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

That's quite a story, Marion. I've had similar experiences with Hawks minus... the gun.
Just so you know, Crows are good to have around with a Hawk in the area because Crows can be very successful in chasing a Hawk away.

Once I had, what looked to be, over 100 Crows show up at my house to harass a Crow that was perched in my Oak tree. They buzzed that Hawk and created quite a ruckus until it flew off with the entire flock chasing it.

It's a good thing you got that poor Pigeon and I'm glad it seems do be doing ok. With any bite or puncture wound the risk of infection is high and the poor thing needs to be on antibiotics. Do you have any antibiotics? Is food moving through the bird's system? Sometime with a crop injury, the food just falls out after they eat.


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## CHRISTIN RN (Sep 2, 2007)

GO GO GO WITH YOUR BAD SELF, MARION!
Great job saving that poor little pigeon from a most horrid end!
Praying that he recovers quickly and that Hop-a-long enjoys a new forever friend!
Interested in reading your Hop-a-long story as well!
I also have a 'Hoppy' who is one-legged!


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## Marion Springer (Oct 3, 2007)

*Day 2 for rescued pigeon*

Charis, the rescued pigeon is doing well as of day 2. His food is passing through his system instead of out through the crop, as I feared . He is a young pigeon and I think it was his first time out of the cage into the big wild world when he was taken by the hawk.

Christin, Thank you for your prayers for the rescued pigeon. We both had enough excitement for one day with the capture by the hawk and the recovery by an old gal, me. 
Hop-Along, my one winged pigeon has quite a story but I will wait a bit to tell it. The reason for waiting is that Hop-Along is showing interest in another house-bound pigeon and perhaps if I wait awhile I can add a bit of pigeon romance to the story. Until this new development, Hop-Along was the meanest bird I've ever seen! 
Thank you both for our interest.
Marion Springer


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

Glad your rescue is doing so good despite his horrible injuries. 
Looking forward to H-A's story.

Reti


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## Dezirrae (Oct 6, 2007)

Just came across this thread Marion -- count on my thoughts and prayers for the little one  Of course keep us posted on his/her condition.

I just love looking forward to a little bit of romance - anxiously awaiting your story


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## Marion Springer (Oct 3, 2007)

*Thank you*

Thank you, Dezirrae for your prayers and thoughts for the young injured pigeon. This is day 3 of his recovery and he is doing well...he ate all his seeds and drank water today. I think he is even getting used to my cats looking at him in his cage! I am wondering how the attack by the hawk will affect him in the long run after his injuries are healed.

I have an adult pigeon that was attacked by a vulture sometime back . That pigeon was rescued before it sustained any physical damage but it refuses to fly. I'm wondering if that will also be the case with the young one as he was not only injured but was carried over a 1/4 of a mile by the hawk before the hawk gave him up. Time will tell I guess whether he will want to fly again.
I'll keep you posted.
Marion Springer


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## Marion Springer (Oct 3, 2007)

*The pigeon who was rescued from a hawk 10 days ago*

Thank you all for your good thoughts and prayers for the young pigeon that I managed to save from a hawk after the hawk had carried it a quarter of a mile away. Today is day 10 of his recovery and he is doing very well. It just amazes me that a tear in the crop where the seeds he had eaten could be seen and could fall out will heal on it's own, but that is just what happened.

I have him in a big cage in the house with another young pigeon about his age who got carried around the place in the mouth of a dog. The dog was my young Doberman pup who is not trained yet . After making me run all around the place after him he finally just put the pigeon on the ground and waited there for me to catch up to him and pick the bird up. The pigeon was more frightened than injured . He limped for a few days but is walking OK now. 

Also in the cage with those two is one of my hostile take-overs. I took him in when he was about a week or so old. I found him all bloody from being beat up on by the other birds so I hijacked him and nursed him back to health and now he is almost ready to be released. When they are all ready, the three of them will be released together. 

And then this evening when I went out to feed the flock, there was a 4 day old baby who had gotten out of his nest and had been bloodied by others. His parents had fed his nest mate but ignored the cold hungry one who was out of the nest. So, I did another hostile take-over. Our nights freezing now so he wouldn't have made it through the night on his own out of the nest. I brought him in the house , warmed him up, fed him and then tucked him into a snug bed on a warm heating pad...and the beat goes on.

I'll write HopAlong's story soon...I was waiting to see if his new romance would work out but it didn't go anywhere so he is still a lonely batchelor! 
Marion Springer


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## Margarret (May 3, 2007)

Bless you Marion for taking in all those injured pidges and abandoned babies.
I'm so glad the one the hawk caught is doing well. Let us know how the tiny one is doing.

Margaret


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## Marion Springer (Oct 3, 2007)

*Re the new hostile take-over*

Will do Margarret. The baby seemed happy to get some dinner and was ready to go to sleep once he got all warm and cozy. I just love those tiny babies, and the juvenile ones, and all of them!
Marion Springer


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

Thank you for the great update. You did a great job in caring for them.

Reti


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Bless you Marion for all your kindness shown in your rescue work. I can just picture the 4 day old baby all snug up and warm and cozy. They are just so totallly helpless and vulnerable.

Thank you for all you do for our noble feral pigeons!


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## Marion Springer (Oct 3, 2007)

*Should we go for it or not ? Your comments please*

Thank you all for your good thoughts for the injured and abused pigeons that I have posted about.

My daughter Linda, is the mama of Lovely Lacey. Recently Lacey passed away after an illness of only two or three days. Linda was devastated . She began to post her stories and memories of Lacey on Pigeon Talk and I believe that was helpful to her in dealing with her grief. 

I began to post items of interest regarding pigeons, mostly ones that I have had a hand in nursing back to health. Linda and I would talk about things Lacey had done, about different birds we have had contact with down through the years, and we found that we have many many interesting, funny, and touching stories about birds that have touched our lives. Then we had the thought, ' why don't we write a book about true bird stories? ' 
We could dedicate it to the memory of Lacey. 

We're not thinking of some major work, best seller type of book, rather, a small paperback book that bird lovers would enjoy. I would like to hear what you all think of the book idea...should we go for it or not ? Would you be interested in such a book ?  Your comments will be greatly appreciated. 
Marion Springer


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## flitsnowzoom (Mar 20, 2007)

Marion, I think y'all should write the book. Lacey was an absolutely stunning pigeon and a small book full of her adventures and pictures would be wonderful. If you have an artistic bent or know an artist, perhaps they would be willing to draw a few sketches. 

I think "A Pigeon's Tale" would make a wonderful children's book if you want to keep it simple or a great coffeetable book or calendar if you want to go that way. Perhaps you could do a calendar for your daughter w/Lacey's pictures as a gift.


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## Dezirrae (Oct 6, 2007)

I think that's a fantastic idea Marion!! What a lovely way to capture all the wonderful memories as well as get others interested in pigeons...

I write/edit sales proposals for a telecom company - I know business editting is different than writing a book, but if there is anything I can do to help please let me know. I had done some research into self-publishing some time ago and I can dig up the info (I think I kept the files at least  ) for you.


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Marion, I agree wholeheartedly about the book. I think it would be wonderful. I have been especially touched by Linda's posts about the beautiful Lacey and hope she will continue to do this. We have a disabled pigeon named Mr. Humphries who could be Lacey's twin and, cranky old thing that he is  , we would be really upset if he died.


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## Marion Springer (Oct 3, 2007)

*Thank you flitsnowzoom*

for your suggestion about a children's book. While I hadn't thought of a children's book, perhaps that could be done in the future , if the one for adults turns out OK. 
Thank you for your support of a book as well as for the suggestion.
Marion


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## Marion Springer (Oct 3, 2007)

*Dezirrae I may call on you*

for help . Thank you for the offer and for support of the book. 

Although I am retired now, my career was as a pilot in both airplanes and rotorcraft and a flight instructor in rotorcraft. 

I wrote and self published a book about my life in gyrocopters. The book, 
' Born Free- my life in gyrocopters', was well received in the gyro community. That past writing experience gives me the courage to want to write a book about true bird stories. 

So, thanks again for the offer to help...you may get a mayday call from me one of these days if I start on the book and find that I need some hand holding ! 
Marion


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## Marion Springer (Oct 3, 2007)

*Lady Tarheel, I like Linda's Lovely Lacy stories too!*

Talking about Lacey was what got Linda and me thinking about writing a bird book. Linda visualizes a picture of Lacey on the cover ( she has oodles of Lacey pictures ) . As far as Linda posting more stories of her best friend , I think you can count on it. 

My hostile takeover baby of a couple of days ago is doing very well. He is starting to move about now and lets me know when it's his dinner time. 

Thanks for your encouragement to go ahead with the book.
Marion


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

*Go For It!*

Please do try and get a book out there .. I know it would be a wonderful one!

Terry


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## Marion Springer (Oct 3, 2007)

*Ultralight, the starling*

My daughter Linda, mentioned on another thread something about a starling that my husband and I had for one wonderful summer some years back...this will be one of the stories that we intend for the bird book we hope to write.

Here is Ultralight's story.
I found the tiny little baby bird that had fallen out of its nest high up on the cross arm of the hangar on the airport where we had our office. There was no way I could return the baby to it's nest so I took it in, amazed that it had survived the long fall to the ground. 

It was such a tiny baby, with just a little down for covering and what a big mouth! This was during the time in the 80's when ultralight aircraft were just coming onto the scene...we needed to call our little featherless friend something so we called him Ultralight. A cute name with a double meaning. 

We lived in an agricultural area and starlings are not farmer's favorite birds, so with that in mind we didn't broadcast to the local farmers on the airport that we were harboring a " starling !". 

Ultralight was so easy to care for, always ready to eat . He loved baths! If one didn't watch him he would take a dip in the cup of water one was drinking . I am a milk drinker, so needless to say, Ultralight had a few milk baths when he would dive into my cup of milk .

The little bird had the run of the office after he learned to fly. At times he could be a real nuisance when I had paper work to do and he would be on the desk hopping around on whatever I was working on, rolling pens and pencils about on the desk, scattering paper clips, hopping onto my hand or arm , or head, wanting attention.

When he would get to be too much of a distraction, I would open the door and shoo him outside, but I had to be very alert not to catch him in the door coming right back in as I closed the door! 

We would take him home with us at the end of the work day. At first I carried him in a closed box, then later left the box open. Finally he would just sit on my arm or on whatever I was carrying as I walked from the parking lot to our apartment. Always he would just sit contentedly in the open, but then one day he flew up to the roof of the building. There I was, standing in the middle of the courtyard, calling , " Ultralight, come to me ". and Ultralight did...he flew down and landed on my arm just like taking a little side trip was quite alright. I had just about panicked when he had left my arm, the little rascal. 

If we left the apartment in the evening, Ultralight would be hiding when we returned and he wouldn't make a sound until we called to him then he would answer and come out of hiding. Once a visitor came home with us and Ultralight, not knowing the new voice, stayed silent and in hiding all the time the visitor was there.

At the office we would put him outside and he would fly about the yard but staying close, always ready to dash back inside whenever the door opened or fly to us when we happened to be outside. 

One of the most memorable joys of my life was to be outside and have him fly to me and land on my outstretched hand. There was usually wind at our field and as he flared his wings to make the landing on my hand, the wind would allow him to hover. It was just incredible to experience a bird hovering in the wind just two or three inches above my hand before gently touching down. 

One day as we were driving through town on the way home, Ultralight , who was free in the van as usual, flew out the passenger side window. My husband pulled over and stopped immediately and I hopped out in time to see Ultralight fly across the street! I called to him , he saw me and flew right back across the street to me at about four feet above the ground. My heart was in my mouth until he made it safely across and was back in my hands. 

We enjoyed Ultralight and his antics all summer then one day while he was outside a group of starlings came by and he joined up with them and flew away as he was meant to do. He left us with fond memories of a playful, loveable little bird that touched our lives. I hope he had a good life with his new friends. We never saw him again, but that was OK. He was where he should be and I had the good feeling of having helped him when he needed me. 
Marion Springer


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## Marion Springer (Oct 3, 2007)

*My daughter Donna is caring for a young pigeon about three months old*

today she brought the young pigeon over for me to look at. 

Both of his legs are swollen at the knee joint. One is swollen more than the other one. Today the skin split open on both knee joints and bled some.

His voice sounds a bit raspy but so do some of our other young birds that are well and healthy.

The one with the split skin can stand and walk but spends most of his time sitting down. He is still being hand fed and really enjoys eating. 

Does anyone have any idea why the skin has split on his knee joints ?
I should add that we live in the high desert in So. Ca. and it has been unusually hot this summer. I wonder if the severe summer has anything to do with the pigeons problem but he is the only one of the huge number of pigeons that live on our place that has the split skin problem.

I will appreciate any suggestions you may have.
Marion Springer


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## Dima (Jan 15, 2011)

Is only one joint swollen? If all are swollen, it could be salmonela. But it can be an injury of the joint or an inflamation.

Amazing rescuing stories.
PS. I loved the story with the hawk...especially the gun part. ..because of it the pigeons survived.


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## Marion Springer (Oct 3, 2007)

*Dima, the knee joint of both legs are swollen.*

He is a happy little guy, always eager to be held and cuddled and to eat. 

Re: hawks. They are so bold. I never shoot at them but I sure don't mind firing a shot off to scare them away. 

There was one time I fully intended to shoot a hawk...he had flown through the small flight way door and was inside with the setting hens and the young pigeons. I was furious that he had gone inside so I had my daughter go in the pigeon house and shoo him out the small door he had gone in through.

I stood outside, shot gun ready to blast him but when he came out the gun jammed and wouldn't fire. I'm glad it wouldn't fire. I would have been sorry had I killed that beautiful bird. That was the only time I had murder in my heart but something kept the gun from working and the hawk lived to terrorize pigeons another day. 
Marion


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