# Paris Escapes



## Victor (Dec 18, 2004)

*Today was a reasonably decent day for the Midwest, temperatures around 50, so I seized the opportunity to do some major cleaning in the pigeon coop.

I gathered all the pigeons in their cages, and took them out on their day table for fresh air, and went back in to get the last one, Paris.

I put the cage down just for a moment to grab my glasses which I left on the shelf in the coop. My 5 year old grandson was swinging on the swing and called out to me "PAPA!" He looked stunned  and pointed toward Paris. The door had swung open and out he was... walking around on the drying grass. I told my grandson to stay where he was, and I spoke softly and started to approach Paris. 

He flew over me to the other side of the yard.I knew he was going to fly away, I just knew it. I felt so irresponsible and the thought of the Hawk we saw last week circling above our yard came to mind. I looked at Paris as if to see him for the very last time. I felt helpless. I looked over at Trent (Hawkmaster) and he watched with worried eyes. He has gotten attached to Paris. He has just finished giving him some snack seeds just earlier in the coop. The look on the child's face made the situation that much worse.

I called out to Paris, and slowly approached him, with the cage door facing him. 

He flew to the side of the table where his fellow pigeon family were. Barbie Bluebar watched intensely at what was going on. Alright, now I really feel like a heel, She is about to see her boyfriend leave her too.

I again called "Paris it's OK boy. Please don't leave Barbie alone. Please get in the cage."

I was holding the cage about a foot away from him. I was afraid to startle him. Had it been one of the other boys, especially Rosco,Beaksley or Tooter, there would have been no problem...Uchiwa, well, I don't know about him...but Paris? He has come along way getting used to us, but he was after all a once upon a time racing pigeon,and maybe he likes the freedom?

I stood there.He firmly stood, as if thinking about it. He took two steps forward, and jumps in the cage! 

My grandson praised Paris and afterwords was rewarded nicely with safflower and unsalted raw sunflower seeds. A close call.

I am happy he chose to stay. Too much stress this afternoon. *

Today is March 25th and Paris is the happy and proud father of two very healthy young birds that he and Barbie raised.


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## Feather (Dec 8, 2005)

If that cage did not have any seeds in it then you are a bonified pigeon wisperer. 

I think that Paris has finally found his home. Good work Victor! I can just imagine what you were going through.

Feather


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

*Victor!*

Your thread title sure scared me, UNTIL I read the whole post!  

WELL DONE, Victor!! I'm sure that not panicking made all the difference!

Of course, then again, Paris is a smart pij and I bet he wasn't about to give up such a wonderful life for the uncertainty of the wild side! He was probably testing you - just to keep you on your toes!!

All kidding aside, I'm so glad for the happy ending!  

HUGS TO ALL!!


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

I am so relieved that there was an immediate happy ending, although I am certain that hawk permitting Paris would have returned to his happy place!

Cynthia


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Gosh, Victor...after reading that title I thought..oh, oh..here we go again!

I'm glad to hear Paris made the obvious BEST choice and jumped back in the cage. He is happy with his new life, and I don't think he would leave Barbie Blue Bar either.


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## Larry_Cologne (Jul 6, 2004)

*Too much stress tis afternoon*

Yes, Victor, I agree with you: too much stress this afternoon. Put the happy ending at the beginning. I'm short of breath, and holding my breath till the end makes me look kinda' blue. Well, not really, I didn't hold my breath, and blue is my favorite color, so that part of it is okay, but I DID think Paris escaped (for good). As it was, he just had an excursion.

Watched a light-looking pigeon this afternoon for two hours. Fluffed up, sunning himself, apart from the other pigeons. Too quick to catch. He didn't want to be caught, yet. Walked him towards shelter, a hideway (baggage cart someone absconded with from the train station) next to a tree and pile of leaves and limbs, and left him a cache of seeds. He was happy too have them. Will check on him tomorrow.


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## Lin Hansen (Jan 9, 2004)

Oh boy, Victor......that was a close call!

So glad to hear it turned out so well.

Linda


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## Hillybean (Oct 30, 2005)

I think you kept everyone, myself included, on the edge of their seat with that topic title and most of the post. LOL!

I'm glad that Paris was a good pigeon and decided to stay .
-hilly


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Victor, I had to scroll to the end before I read more than the first sentence - just couldn't stand the thought of Paris leaving you. I am so happy he went into the cage. 

It is almost more than the nerves can stand to have one do that. Our ******, a white female, who we have had several years and was born in the aviary, shot by me as I was leaving the aviary and took a grand tour of the front yard, back yard, most of the trees, top of the house, top of the aviary and finally to the deck. I had to lunge and grab her tail to catch her. At that point I wasn't really concerned about pulling out her tail feathers. She actually wanted to go back in the aviary but didn't know how. She was put back in after numerous hugs and kisses and tail still intact.


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

I did the same like Maggie did, read the end first.
Wow, that was close. So glad it ended well.

Reti


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## littlestar (May 11, 2005)

OMG, what a close call. I'm so glad Paris went in the cage and did take off.


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## Pete Jasinski (Jan 2, 2005)

That was a very close call indeed! I think all the pidgies are getting LoJack for Christmas just to be on the safe side


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## feralpigeon (Feb 14, 2005)

Just bopped in for a minute, Victor, and saw your thread. Very well done, and
just too nerve racking......I read from the beginning to the end, silly me!
Just a thought, perhaps at some point, in your spare time (ha ha) you might 
think of building a 'safe room' in front of the entry door to the aviary.
Glad to hear that Paris knows who loves him.

fp


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## Lin Hansen (Jan 9, 2004)

fp,

Good to see you!

Linda


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## feralpigeon (Feb 14, 2005)

Hi Lin, btw b-day buddy, hope you had a good one!

fp


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## Lin Hansen (Jan 9, 2004)

Thanks, yes, it was really great. Got treated to a day over in New York City by my mom-in-law and two sister-in-law.

Rode the ferry over from Weehawken, ate lunch at Bubba Gump Shrimp and saw The Producers (half price matinee! LOL).

Couldn't ask for a nicer day! 

Hope you had a good one too!

Linda


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## Victor (Dec 18, 2004)

*Hi everyone~ I enjoyed all the replies, and shame on those who had to read the end first! 

I was sharing the story with my other daughter and her fiancée, and the look of horror that went across her face when I initially shared with her, "Oh, by the way, Paris escaped this afternoon..." I told her the story pretty much how I posted it . At the end she had a sigh of relief and my wife Bev said, "I wouldn't put it past him to tell that to his pigeon talk buddies!" Hmmmmm...good idea I thought.

Feral Pigeon, a safe room or area is actually in my plans for stage two of the aviary this spring. For now, I installed an old cabinet door inside which hangs down, and can be secured open to allow more sunlight and air in. When it hangs down, it covers about 3 feet above my head so when I open the pigeon coop door, it will deter them from beating me outside. I still check and exit with caution. It does help. 

Speaking of air, I finally completed installing plastic on the screen door of the coop and bored a hole so that my heavy duty electrical cord will go in snuggly to provide light and heat to the inside. This morning my pigeons were nice and toasty warm.  

I am very glad Parie Le Pij-eon chose to stay with us. *


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

first off - fp - so happy to hear from you. 

You can also staple something like a beach towel or extra large towel at the top of the door (on the inside) which acts as a barrier and is soft if they hit it.


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## Victor (Dec 18, 2004)

*Thanks Maggie and Nona. I like both of your ideas. Thanks for sharing them .This is one of the things I do appreciate about this great site,is other members input.I have learned much over the past three years even before joining just reading and absorbing everyones vast knowledge and experience...and am still learning! *


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## Rooster2312 (Mar 8, 2006)

My heart was in my mouth reading your story! I too had to skip forward a bit to the end of your post so I could breath a sigh of relief.

Well done Victor and Hawkmaster for keeping so cool in a very stressful and worrying situation. Paris must surely love you all so much to stay put where he belongs. 

Lindi


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## phyll (Mar 15, 2004)

Victor, as soon as I saw the title of your thread, I thought, "Oh, no, I can't go through this again."

I never, ever want to see these words (or anything relating to them) in the titles of your threads:
GONE, ESCAPES, GOT AWAY, TOOK OFF, MISSING IN ACTION or FLEW THE COOP.

Okay, Victor? Good!

Thank God Paris is still with you & the family is intact.

Phyll


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## Victor (Dec 18, 2004)

phyll said:


> I never, ever want to see these words (or anything relating to them) in the titles of your threads:
> GONE, ESCAPES, GOT AWAY, TOOK OFF, MISSING IN ACTION or FLEW THE COOP.
> 
> Okay, Victor? Good!
> ...


Yes ma'm  I will consider this a stern chew out. It won't happen again.
(unless it really does)


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## Victor (Dec 18, 2004)

Hi~

I got the recent developed photos developed which I took the day Paris was out. Below is a picture I took of him just minutes before he had his chance for freedom. The flash was not on, so not too clearfor the Paris picture.I will leave this on for a while before I transfer it to webshots.I have to keep my space clean .

I will add more pictures of the pigeon coop interior in the next day. Late night now.


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## Victor (Dec 18, 2004)

*And one more...*

And one more of Paris and Barbie...a bit clearer, but you can only see Barbies hairy legs...sorry. Picture taking is not my field of expertise.


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## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

I admit to skipping to the end......what a scare! I'm SO glad Paris knows what side his bread is buttered on!!


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## Victor (Dec 18, 2004)

*Interior Coop Pictures from recent*



maryjane said:


> I admit to skipping to the end......what a scare! I'm SO glad Paris knows what side his bread is buttered on!!


Yes Maryjane, he know that too, but deep down he kinda likes Barbie and loves me!

I decided to stay up late and do some resizing. The latest pictures ( that show up) of the pigeon coop interior and some of my pigeons are posted on my web shots link below. I placed all the new ones in "*MY PUBLIC SHOE BOX "*so you can see them more readily. I will keep them in the "shoe box" section for a week or so before I rearrange them in their sections. Thanks for viewing. Now, if you will excuse me, I need some roosting time.


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

Victor said:


> And one more of Paris and Barbie...a bit clearer, *but you can only see Barbies hairy legs*...sorry. Picture taking is not my field of expertise.


VICTOR! I am shocked! Barbie's "hairy legs?!!"  

Does Barbie know you said this? How embarrassing! For shame! You should apologize to her! I mean, AFTER ALL...


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## Victor (Dec 18, 2004)

mr squeaks said:


> Does Barbie know you said this? How embarrassing! For shame! You should apologize to her! I mean, AFTER ALL...


Oh...you are right squeaks, "Barbie I am sorry you have hairy legs." 

There. Done!


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

Victor said:


> Oh...you are right squeaks, "Barbie I am sorry you have hairy legs."
> 
> There. Done!


VERY fuuunny, Victor! I can hear you laughing from here! And on a public forum too! I bet Barbie believes you and is laughing it off - NOT!

If she decides to give you a beaking and a Wing Fu, I won't blame her a bit!

You been talkin' to Pidgey? That's what he would have SAID! BAD, Victor. VERY BAD! 

I hope Bev intervenes on Barbie's behalf! You wouldn't say something like that about Bev and Barbie IS part of your FEATHER FAMILY!

Oh, for shame, for shame!


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## Coolpigeon (Feb 2, 2006)

hi MR.Squeks
Please donot be to mad at Victor (my papa). He really does love her a lot. He calls her his sweet tart.He is just kidding with you. Bad papa!


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

That is one GREAT looking Halloween pumpkin you have got there on your avatar, Alex.

Really cool!


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## Coolpigeon (Feb 2, 2006)

hi Miss Grey thank you. I called my papa at work at said what you told me and he said your pumkin head is doing good. He calls him that because he likes his head rubed at lot. By.


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Hi Alex, we know your papa is kidding - matter of fact, I'll bet you Barbie is his favorite girl pigeon!  She really is a sweet"tart".

Love your avatar.


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## Coolpigeon (Feb 2, 2006)

oh hi Miss Tarheel thanks.OK. I know he really likes her a lot. She is very pretty. I have to go eat so by.


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

Coolpigeon said:


> hi MR.Squeks
> Please donot be to mad at Victor (my papa). He really does love her a lot. He calls her his sweet tart.He is just kidding with you. Bad papa!



LOL! Oh my,  P, I'm not mad at your papa! Far from it. I was only teasing him too. You see, I LOVE to laugh and your papa certainly made me laugh! So, don't you worry and thank you for coming to his defense. Victor is very blessed to have you as part of his family! I know he loves his family of humans and pijies very much!

Please give Barbie a hug from Mr. Squeaks and me. AND, EVEN a hug to your papa, Victor, too!  

I also like your pumpkin! That is quite an expression he has! 

What are you wearing for Halloween? Squeaks is always ready for Halloween with his cape on as a Super Power Pigeon!

HAPPY BOO DAY !!!


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Coolpigeon said:


> hi Miss Grey thank you. I called my papa at work at said what you told me and he said your pumkin head is doing good. He calls him that because he likes his head rubed at lot. By.



You tell your papa thank you for the update on pumpkin head, I have another pigeon I nicknamed pumpkin head too. His name is Skye and his head is shaped like a pumpkin.  He is as cute as Rosco too, but different personality!

Thank you Alex for letting me know.


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