# Nest Extradinaire!



## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

FINALLY! I have mentioned Peter Pied Piper of Arizona State University fame as the the "Frank Lloyd Wright" of the pigeon world! 

He built the most extraordinary nest I have ever seen. I was so impressed that I sent the picture (thanks to Cindy!) to Cornell's Project Pigeon Watch! They, too, thought that the nest was very unusual because of its size!

Due to circumstances beyond my control, Cindy is going to post the picture for me! THANKS, CINDY!  

OH yes, that is Peter sitting on his masterpiece!

I called this nest: "THE MANSION"


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## Whitefeather (Sep 2, 2002)

And here's a picture of Peter Pied Piper's MANSION with none other than Peter himself sitting on top!  

Cindy

*Oops*! 
Shi, I didn't notice you had mentioned that was Peter on the nest.   
Better start eating more carrots so I can see better.


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

OMG, I can't stop laughing, that is so funny. 
This is the grandest nest I've ever seen. How long and how hard did he work on it? Oh, how cute.

Reti


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

Hi Reti...

I posted his story in the STORY section. He also had MANY babies!

To recap about Peter: 

I had first noticed him feeding on the lawn near my building and thought how beautiful he was! He was a Pied and instead of having the irredescent green of normal pijies, the spot of green on his neck was emerald!

One day, taking a short cut through a building across from my office, I noticed a white blur flying back and forth outside the door at the end of the building. When I exited, there was Peter, flying back and forth to a window set in the same building. Fortunately, this window was across from the building which housed my office and I could watch his activities. He would bring twigs and his mate would arrange them. Back and forth, back and forth! Didn't this bird EVER tire, I wondered? Well, finally the nest was to his specifications and eggs were laid. Only one hatched and he ended up raising the baby alone because soon after the baby was born, he lost his mate.

He did find another mate but the lone baby, Alberta, wouldn't leave the nest, so Peter and his mate moved two windows down and build the "COTTAGE NEST." Not near as big as the Mansion but impressive nonetheless. Between these two nests, Peter and his mates (he lost his second mate and gained another!!) ended up having almost 20 babies by the time I left ASU. A few months later, the school cleaned out the nests out and screened the windows! 

I never saw Peter again, although I always look for him whenever I'm on campus. He was the MOST EXTRAORDINARY pigeon I have ever met!

I hope he is OK and wish him well!


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## Pete Jasinski (Jan 2, 2005)

OH MY GOODNESS! I must say my namesake is quite the architect  I've never seen anything like that ever before, I really hope it in a safe place where some "dope" won't do it or Peter harm.


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

Oh my, what a story.
Thanks for sharing. Very impressive and a determined little pij.
I hope too he is well and building a new mansion somewhere.

Reti


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

Pete Jasinski said:


> OH MY GOODNESS! I must say my namesake is quite the architect  I've never seen anything like that ever before, I really hope it in a safe place where some "dope" won't do it or Peter harm.


Actually, Pete, you probably didn't get a chance to read my last post. ASU cleaned out the nests and screened the windows after I retired (June 2005).

WHILE, however, Peter was starting his dynasty, his nests were well protected because they were 2 stories off the ground! In fact, by the time he had a lot of babies, THOSE babies came back and started building "little" nests in other windows! These windows were where the restooms were located and the windows let in light on the side of the building with that opaque glass.

Yes, your namesake was VERY unusual! AND, Cornell even posted his story in one of their bird magazines (Bird Scope)!


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## piney_creek (Jun 5, 2006)

That IS quite a nest!

PINEY


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## Jiggs (Apr 1, 2005)

WOW - that must be some sort of record for a pigeon! Most of mine think 4 twigs and a feather is just right


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Well Shi, I can now see why you have called Peter's nest a mansion. That is a magnificent creation. There had to be a reason they built it that high - would love to know why because I've never, ever seen anything to equal it.

Thanks Shi and Cindy.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

That bird is one prolific nest builder and breeder.  LOL

Thanks for sharing.


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## Feather (Dec 8, 2005)

I have a couple that build their nest simular. But Peter has them beat! Thanks Shi! Do you see how proud he is sitting up there. He is probably worn out.

Feather


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## stephie (May 17, 2006)

Hehe what a sweetie, he's obviously a very hard worker (and maybe a bit of a show-off, too)! He's probably living in a $2M condo and driving a Hummer now  Just seems the type


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

LOL....wow! Talk about a "high rise" of a nest! That is incredible, I can't believe a pigeon built that monster! 

Thanks for the picture Shi and Cindy for posting it!!!


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

I *think* perhaps one reason Peter built such a gigantic nest was because he was in a very safe area and there were LOTS of twigs around due to the many trees. 

I would watch him fly down, pick up a twig, drop it, try another and then, satisfied, fly to the window. Of course, maybe he was bored waiting for the eggs and one twig led to another!   

He was an AWESOME parent too when he lost his first mate. He spoiled Alberta rotten! (Previous name, Fat Albert). When Alberta was old enough to be able to leave the nest, he came back with his new mate, Ms. Nu. Alberta HATED her stepmother and no matter how much Peter and Ms. Nu pushed and shoved, Alberta wouldn't LEAVE THE NEST! When Peter and Ms. Nu built the cottage nest and laid 2 eggs, Alberta finally flew her nest and would spend HOURS sitting next to the cottage nest when Peter was on duty. That's why I changed her name. I thought she might become Peter's mate too but she didn't. 

I'm pretty sure she came back with a mate to the same window area and built her own nest. Hard to tell her from other Checkers! ASU has a lot of 'em.


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Wow! That is an amazing structure!

Some of ours build very ornate nests, but never anything near that one in height.

I'd say he musta been a compulsive nest-builder 

John


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Shi, just curious....did Peter build it from scratch or add on to an existing nest?


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## Happy (Dec 19, 2004)

Mr Squeaks, That is the Largest Pigeon nest I have ever seen by far. Thanks for the Pic.
Happy


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## phyll (Mar 15, 2004)

Lady Tarheel said:


> Shi, just curious....did Peter build it from scratch or add on to an existing nest?


That's what I was wondering about also. During the winter, we feed pigeons in a parking garage at the mall. Bob drives & wherever I see pigeons, I jump out of the car to leave seed.
One nest struck me funny because it was so high. It seemed even higher than the one pictured here.

When I got back into the car, I said to Bob, "I think that pigeon has OCD." 
When I mentioned the height of the nest to a cousin, she thought the reason may have been for warmth.
She figured it was warmer near the ceiling of the garage, which made sense to me.

Obviously, that was not the case with Peter's nest, so now I am wondering if maybe the nest I saw, was nest, upon nest, upon nest. Do they ever do that?

Phyll


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## Garye (Feb 20, 2005)

Peter was a pied too! Just like Garye! He was indeed quite an architect. All the pigeon nests I've seen were just flimsy pieces of odd materials. This bird had acquired taste! He knew the finer things in life and knew how to obtain them.

No wonder he was able to attract so many women and be so fruitful and multiply so much!


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

What a neat story...and what a great Nest..!


I bet he has builts quite a few Nests over the years too...!


Phil
Las Vegas


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

Actually, I think this was Peter's FIRST nest. He picked the area and built from SCRATCH! NO pigeons had build in those windows before and the building had been there for YEARS.

Once Peter started, his progeny continued. There were NO pigeons at first, then 3, then the kids started coming back. I think I counted about SIX windows, eventually, that had pigeons and ALL were Peter's kids, NOT to mention HIS continued matings! He would have eggs in the Mansion nest, then when those hatched and were a week or so old, he and his mate would have 2 more eggs in the Cottege Nest (half the size of the Mansion). Back and forth they would go!!

Yes, Garye, he is a Pied and one of the most beautiful I have ever seen. That's what drew my attention to him in the first place when I saw him pecking away in a grassy area with his buddies.

He had some Pied kids too and they were GORGEOUS. Since the windows have been screened, I have no idea what happened to everyone! ESPECIALLY, since they screened the windows AFTER I left! Otherwise, I would have looked for everyone!

Peter's story is in the STORY section under: "A Pigeon Named Peter: Starting a Dynasty." I go in to more detail about his kids.

Cornell was quite fascinated by his nest too as they said pigeons aren't exactly known for being nest builders! And, they were interested in the morphs (colors) of his kids for their Project Pigeon Watch.


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## Garye (Feb 20, 2005)

> *Yes, Garye, he is a Pied and one of the most beautiful I have ever seen. That's what drew my attention to him in the first place when I saw him pecking away in a grassy area with his buddies.
> 
> He had some Pied kids too and they were GORGEOUS.*


Of course pieds are the most beautiful. After all, that's what Garye is!


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

Garye said:


> Of course pieds are the most beautiful. After all, that's what Garye is!


I thought of Garye when I posted this thread! She reminds me of Peter! 

I sure hope he and his kids are OK! ASU has some places where pijies hang out, especially around my former building area. That area is established and ALSO near the Student Union, which has many eating places inside. Due to our weather, there are places to eat OUTSIDE so we essentially have a pijie eating paradise: many students = MUCH food... 

I will be on campus for 4 days next week helping with a job fair. Will DEFINITELY keep my eyes open for Peter and the gang! Hopefully, they have stayed in the same general area.


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## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

That is phenomenal. I won't show Mrs. Bird, as she thinks her condor nest is the biggest ever made.  I thought so too, until I saw this! Thanks for finding the pic.


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## Pete Jasinski (Jan 2, 2005)

mr squeaks said:


> Actually, Pete, you probably didn't get a chance to read my last post. ASU cleaned out the nests and screened the windows after I retired (June 2005).
> 
> WHILE, however, Peter was starting his dynasty, his nests were well protected because they were 2 stories off the ground! In fact, by the time he had a lot of babies, THOSE babies came back and started building "little" nests in other windows! These windows were where the restooms were located and the windows let in light on the side of the building with that opaque glass.
> 
> Yes, your namesake was VERY unusual! AND, Cornell even posted his story in one of their bird magazines (Bird Scope)!


I must have posted at the same time as you as I didn't get to read your post. I'm happy he was able to live in peace raising his kids.


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