# Possibly abandoned nest with baby



## dig2grow (Jul 2, 2009)

We have watched the mating antics, nest building and proud parenting of two wood pigeons who have bravely teased our dog, put up with the kids using the garden at the weekend and the erratic time keeping of their food being put out. Unfortunately earlier this evening (having been out most of the day) I found the remains of one baby pigeon not far from the nest. I don't know when it died, would hazard a guess at within the last 24 hours (there was a lot of noise from the nest very early this morning). 

But there is still a baby moving about in the nest, and I haven't seen the adults come near the nest since about 4.00. Its getting dark now, and no-one is on the nest with baby, although I have heard them calling all evening. The nest is about 2 foot away from our conservatory roof, and usually they are jumping allover it, but silence. 

I have left all alone, hoping they will come back, should I leave it alone, or bring it in and then what? I'm based in Leigh on Sea, Essex.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

I'm going to contact one of our UK members that is very knowledgeable with Wood Pigeons so hang on a bit.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

How old is it? the parents only visit the babies a couple of times a day once they are over a certain age, but the fact that one is dead is ominous.

You could bring it in for the night, ensure that it has a full crop and that its eyes are bright, feed it if necessary and pop it back in the nest early in the morning.



Cynthia


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## dig2grow (Jul 2, 2009)

It seems quite large, the wing of the one that died was about 4" long with firm feathers. The one in the nest is sticking its head over the edge of the nest and looking around, and turning around regularly, It keeps sticking its bottom out at the same place, looking as if it was going to poo, there is is mess at the bottom of the tree there, but nothing happens. Would the parents come back and sit on the nest still? There doesn't look like much room, but then I was surprised at the rather haphazard nest anyway.


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## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

hi,

I wonder if the noise this morning was a preditor in the nest. In that case it is ominous and I would be scared for the remaining baby.

Agree with Cynthia. Maybe if it's reachable, care for it overnight. Normally it's better to leave them obviously but I think it would be such a shame if they were to lose both of them, and if the nest was attacked, whatever did it will know where it is now.

Janet


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

I have a book called "The Wood Pigeon" which is based on continuous observation of the birds from a hide. It says "Gradually the young are fed at less frequent intervals until between 8 and 10 days they are only fed twice by each parent", presumably then that means 4 times a day, twice by each parent. It continues to say "the adult's feeding visits are still limited to those periods when they previously changed over during the incubation and breeding duties".

I think that with feral pigeons the last changeover takes place around 4 o'clock, so 4 pm was probably the last scheduled feed for today and one of the parents should be back tomorrow morning to feed it again.

Cynthia


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## dig2grow (Jul 2, 2009)

I've had a look outside and still no parents around. I think its possibly a little bit younger than the one shown in this picture : http://lh4.ggpht.com/_iG4zR5txuIA/SWxUTm-1QtI/AAAAAAAAAKM/nGY8Ihcc980/IMG_0558.JPG - it seems to have a very big beak!

I've tried to get the ladder near enough to get it out the tree, but in the dark I can't see very well, so I'm going to have to leave it until morning, and hope its ok. I wish I'd taken it out earlier, but I was so hoping the parents would come back.

Shall I take it out in the morning? and what do I do with it then? Use the salt water/sugar water mix in a small medicine syringe and then take it to Orsett? There is someone with racing pigeons around here, would they help me?


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## dig2grow (Jul 2, 2009)

Hopefully, then, all is normal! I must admit it looks reasonably alert and healthy, if it had looked distressed I would have been here earlier! I shall leave it, and hope all is well with it, and keep an extra sharp eye on it tomorrow, and report back to you then. 

Thank you for your help.


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## dig2grow (Jul 2, 2009)

I'm sorry to report that I found the baby's headless body (otherwise undamaged) in the same place as I found the other one. This time I have removed it before my daughter finds it. I wish I had tried harder to get it out the nest last night, but looking at it this morning I would have needed a longer ladder. 

Just two questions, Will the parents lay again, in a different place? and should I destroy the old nest to prevent them trying again there?

I lay the blame squarely at the feet of next door's cat.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

OMG, I feel terrible now! I didn't realise that the first one had been killed. Poor, poor little thing!

Yes, please discourage them from nesting there again, take the nest down and if they try to build another one then take that one down too. Dissuade them from nesting anywhere that cat could possibly reach.

Cynthia


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## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

Oh no, that's what I feared would happen after the first one went.
I am sorry.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

> Oh no, that's what I feared would happen after the first one went.


I must have been composing my reply when you posted about the predator, Janet, because I have just spotted it. 

However, if dig2grow had persevered in her attempts to reach it last night with a ladder that was too short it would most probably have ended in disaster for her as well as the baby. I have carried out rescues in the daylight from solid structures with a ladder that was slightly too short and I came very close to falling both times. 

Even so, I should have thought deeper about the implications of the commotion rather than focusing of the absence of the parents.

Cynthia


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## dig2grow (Jul 2, 2009)

Thank you for your help anyway. I do feel very bad about the baby, I could have got the longer ladder out of the garage, and got husband to hold it while I tried harder, and when I saw it this morning I really felt that is what I should have done. I don't know what I'm going to say to my daughter, she's going to blame me. And its so quiet now without them bouncing around on the conservatory roof like small bombs. And I can't even hear them anymore. 

Oh well, at least the window will be a bit cleanrer from now on.


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