# Mother Mary and her (our) flock



## Garye (Feb 20, 2005)

I went to visit the pigeons this morning but I noticed they already were busy with a friend. There she was lookin' like a savior administering to her flock. I've seen her before and I call her Mother Mary, though she doesn't know it yet. Well there she was all nice and purty-like like she just done fresh come out of church, she still had on all her church finery, pretty velvet vest, nice long stylish skirt, fancy shoes, and there she was feeding her (our) flock. They waited patiently all around her, the gulls and the pigeons, while she threw food to them and they were nice and respectable towards her - none of them tried to fly on top of her.

But one of them spotted me watching them from a distance. 

I hadn't done a thing, mind you, to draw attention to myself, but he spotted me and flew over. When he realized the others didn't follow him, he turned to look at them as if to say, 'C'mon, guys, Garye's here.' But the rest were all too busy with Mother Mary to pay him any mind so he flew back to Mother Mary to get some more of the bread she was dishing out. But by then the rest of them got wind I was there watching them and before you could say 'Garye' they were all over. Mother Mary watched helplessly and then left.

Oh they were all over me! I told them, 'Don't you start with me! I saw you out there with Mother Mary. I know you've gotten your fill by now!' Garye's crop was so full it looked like she had swallowed a small balloon and here she was acting like she hadn't eaten for days! I gave them some seed - reduced amount - for I knew they had been fed well enough by Mother Mary.

So now I know for sure that the pigeons have what appears to be a regular friend - Mother Mary - who comes to visit them. What amazed me about her was that she fed them point blank out in the open for all to see and no one bothered her about it! If ever the pigeons do get poisoned here, I can bet you that Mother Mary is going to give them a hard time about it (as I will too). She appears to be devoted to that flock.

THANK GOD THERE ARE OTHERS OUT HERE IN TOWN THAT CARE ABOUT THEM LIKE I DO. We can band together if something should happen to them.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Garye said:


> THANK GOD THERE ARE OTHERS OUT HERE IN TOWN THAT CARE ABOUT THEM LIKE I DO. We can band together if something should happen to them.



Ditto to that! ...and people who usually attend church, know all to well that He not only created them, but all *creatures* great and small. He designed us to have repsect for all!

Thank you for sharing that with us. That was a wonderful and hopeful thing for you to discover the first day of the new year.


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

That is really wonderful to know that there are more people out there caring for our little angels. They need as many friends as they can get.

Reti


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## Garye (Feb 20, 2005)

Yes, I am quite glad to have this woman involved. I know she will look out for them if I can't. I can tell by watching her today and the other times I've seen her. It's wonderful to have someone else care about them in this town. I didn't want to be the only one because, who knows? Something could happen to me. But with her around I feel as if they have someone else to go to if they need something. I know she'll stick up for them.


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

*Wonderful News, Garye!*

Are you going to talk to her one of these days?


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## Garye (Feb 20, 2005)

If I can do so without scaring her off. Pigeon lovers are a strange breed. We're mostly cautious around people because we don't know which ones we can trust. But I'll see if she's approachable. She must mostly come out later in the mornings or afternoons because I never see her during the work days, just only on the weekends and I only know she's been there when there is this mysterious bread left in the parking lot.


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

*Sure hope you*

can approach her, Garye. Bread, especially the "better" kind are OK in a pinch. Maybe you can 'nudge' her toward seeds.


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## Garye (Feb 20, 2005)

Oh you have quite a sense of humor, don't you? (And I thought I was bad.) Mother Mary likes her "children" so I try not to distract them from her when I know she's there.

C'MON, SHE'S A PIGEON PERSON - LET HER BE! (LOL).


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

*Ok...*

I can see where my "nudge" comment might be taken in another context! 

I sometimes get - ah - carried away and forgot, for a moment, that 'holy missions' are sacrosanct!  

May you and Mother Mary continue to tend to the flock AND may all the pijjies continue to feast in peace!


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## badbird (Aug 15, 2005)

when i go to work in the city each day there is a flock that hangs out on the ledges on the side of the large building i work in. im talking about 1 or 2 hundred pigeons total. i tried to count one day.

they are only there in that large of a group during the morning and mid day. later on they split up...but some remain in the crevices up there.

anyway, below the building is a taxi stand and i now know the birds are being fed by taxi drivers and that is why they perch there. they swoop down and surround the taxi that is throwing food or seed. sometimes they perch on the door of the car where the window is open. one day i watched a pigeon fly into the cabbie's car...and he didn't intend for that and soon he is shooing it out so he opens the door and another bird flies in there. i think now he just keeps the window cracked.

now i always carry seeds in my jacket and sprinkle the ground when nobody is looking. and then like 100 birds swoop down on top of each other. they also hang out at the nearby park but they have signs 'please do not feed the birds.' oh whatever its a free country and i always do it as long as there's nobody looking.

today, i guess the birds were full. i stood in front of the ledges and threw seed in the air like usualy. ONE bird managed to come down and get a nibble and then flew back and ignored the rest.

maybe tomorrow i'll drive down there and pull up to the taxi stand like the cab drivers and feed them from my car like the cabbies. pigeons are fun to watch and i LOVE when they start cooing to each other and strutting, etc.

i know i'm not the only one feeding them.....i on occassion catch lots of people in the city feeding birds be it some table scraps, seeds, bread, or some kind of crumbs. . . .people do care and you know the birds appreciate that.

sometimes ill go to feed the birds and they land on me as they get very excited. they're so cute they let me pick them up and pet them (they land right on my hands anyway as i'm throwing seeds.) i admire them and go on my way after they fill their crops.


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## Garye (Feb 20, 2005)

Mr. Squeaks, I knew you were joking. Didn't you see the LOL? Reading between the lines of text is not easy and things do get misinterpreted. I'm not angry at you at all. But I think I won't approach this woman because she seems to like being alone with the pigeons. It's her time with them. It's only when something should happen to them that I will try and enlist her help. There is strength in numbers. But we do have to be careful when we feed the pigeons here. Some people do not like them and may try to do something to put an end to it. So far it hasn't happened.


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## feralpigeon (Feb 14, 2005)

Badbird, that's great that the pigeons feel comfortable enough with you to let you pet them  , and good to be cautious about who sees you feeding them, or better yet, to be aware of local ordinances about feeding the birds. In SF, it can bring a fine of up to $500.00 if caught....yet, in Oakland, there is no fine for 
feeding them. 

Garye, you might want to strike up a conversation w/Mother Mary when you see her and tell her about Pigeon Talk. You never know, she might have the inclination to do rehab when she's not in her Sunday go to church clothes  .
I've struck up some interesting conversations w/the few folks that I've met feeding the pigeons and have learned some interesting things. Just a thought.

fp


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

Garye said:


> Mr. Squeaks, I knew you were joking. Didn't you see the LOL? Reading between the lines of text is not easy and things do get misinterpreted. I'm not angry at you at all. But I think I won't approach this woman because she seems to like being alone with the pigeons. It's her time with them. It's only when something should happen to them that I will try and enlist her help. There is strength in numbers. But we do have to be careful when we feed the pigeons here. Some people do not like them and may try to do something to put an end to it. So far it hasn't happened.


*sigh* I know you weren't angry, and yes, I am aware of "between" the lines. Using the "faces" help so the words are better understood. Maybe one of these days, there will be "sound" so others can hear our 'inflections.' 

That is the great thing about this site tho, people are always so willing to apologize and/or set things straight. At times we do a "I knew that you knew that I knew" kind of thing... And yes, I see that my attempts at humor sometime backfire on me... 

I understand what you are saying about being careful. There are STILL too many people who don't like pigeons! Our work is cut out for us to spead the word!


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## kittypaws (Sep 18, 2005)

*Subterfuge*

I too can be cautious when feeding pigeons. At the moment I just feed the little guys at the river where I caught my "hobbled" pigeon but although the man at the Boat shop where they sit didn't seem to mind, I didn't want him to get really annoyed by attracting them so at the moment I am scattering the seeds and nuts after work when it is dark so that it is there for the pidgies in the morning. I am quite lucky in that sometimes there aren't any pigeons waiting for me in the mornings and I don't have to feel guilty about leaving the seed that night ( i..e they won't get it until the following morning).

There is one though that recognises me. He only has 2 toes on his right foot. He gets in a bit of a flap if he sees me reaching into my pocket for seed - bless him.

I need to keep the guy at the Boat Shop on my side for when I next spot an injured one and then I will need to encourage it with food. The boatshop man won't mind me feeding them then as he was very encouraging with my previous rescue.

Once a fortnight I work in Richmond and I always take the pigeons and the squirrels in the churchyard seeds and nuts. However the vicar told me off one day for encouraging them all. A man of God indeed - what happened to compassion to all fellow creatures - so when I feed them I make sure the coast is clear but you do look furtively around for someone to have a go at you. Most people aren't bothered what you are doing but sometimes there is one who thinks they should chip in with their onepennyworth.

I say keep feeding the birds as long as you are doing it legally and of course "furtively" !!!

Tania


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

> Tania wrote: Once a fortnight I work in Richmond and I always take the pigeons and the squirrels in the churchyard seeds and nuts. However the vicar told me off one day for encouraging them all. A man of God indeed - what happened to compassion to all fellow creatures


Indeed a good point! There is a church a short distance from my apartment in Worthing, and they have a sign there about not feeding the birds (meaning the pigeons who roost in the tower) on church property.

As for feeding generally, Cynthia feeds the pigeons (and a stray rabbit!) *very* early, so breakfast awaits them. We have what we call 'stealth' outfits for pigeon expeditions 

Garye - I know what people mean about approaching other pigeon feeders. I saw a lady in our town center here, dispensing small pieces of bread to the pigeons one time. I strolled up and smiled and she looked somewhat nervous. That's until I said how nice it was to see someone caring about the birds 

John


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## badbird (Aug 15, 2005)

i went on a walk today and had my pockets loaded with seed. i non chalantly fed the flocks as i found them. i would let it 'accidentily' spill out of a pocket when i would walk past a lone bird or two then about 50 birds would come out of NOWHERE and start eating. then i'd start to see people coming and then i'd walk away, and then come back. i like to stoop down and be real close to them and offer food out of my hand and they usually will eat out of my hand too. they're very cute.

some of them are very icky looking though......... but they still need to be fed.


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## Garye (Feb 20, 2005)

And yes John, this is a nervous woman. She's kind-hearted but she gets nervous when people see her doing what she's doing (even though she's doing it out in the open). So I don't bother her. She enjoys them and they enjoy her.

I've seen an old man quietly pull up in a car, park between cars, and then 15 minutes later leaves. Left behind is a little pile of bread. They love the birds but they're cautious because they know not everyone loves them. A middle-aged woman started doing it once in a while.

I tried the stealth method of going there late at night and leaving food out. What sometimes happens is that the gulls and pigeons fight over it in the mornings (even though it's only seed - see Phil, gulls still go after that stuff here for some reason.  ). Or all of a sudden at night, there are people hanging out in the parking lot where food is left for the birds (nosy people trying to find out what's going on I guess. Yeah I know. I've got to be careful and I don't put any food out when I see people loitering around). So now I just feed them real early in the mornings when practically no one is around. I hate to see them starve in the winter because I know there's practically nothing around for them to eat except what's given to them from humans.


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