# Excuse me while I had a heart attack!!



## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

I almost did have a heart attack, I swear, I let the dogs out this morning just when it was getting light out, only to see a ringneck dove sitting outside my dove aviary!!!  I threw the poor dogs back inside in a panic, grabbed one of my mom's special quilts off the couch (shh), ran out in my bare feet through the crunchy frozen grass, the dove flew up to the neighbor's roof. I ran to the aviary and it was still closed up tight and tarped all over! But the evidence was right there in front of me, sitting on the neighbor's roof. I have never seen a wild dove in the back yard before, and only a handful of them in the neighborhood throughout the years. I tore off the tarps and wrenched open the door and jumped in, scaring the other doves half to death probably, and Fussy Gussy called me a few names I can't repeat here. Then I counted with my heart in my throat. Everyone accounted for but Ivan. NO IVAN!!! I searched high and low, and when there were only two doves, a pigeon, and a chicken, it's hard to hide one! At this point I was practically hyperventilating and crying and freaking out, there is no way Ivan could survive out there, he is a kind of fragile little guy. I finally turned to leave and see if I could catch "him" when I heard a rustle, and bless his little heart, there he was tucked in the corner closest to the heat lamp, snuggled up and toasty! He had been blocked by the leg of the table and somehow I'd missed him. I was so relieved I was crying happy tears at that point, those birds must have thought I'd really gone around the bend this time.  So there's a mourning dove out there who really had a good laugh at my expense this morning. No more free seeds for him!! (Just kidding) .


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

Poor MJ...I probably would've almost had a heartattack too. Actually, I did have something like this happen once, but with one of my homers instead (I thought it had gotten carried off by a hawk!  ). I freaked out! But then of course...I found the little guy all scrunched up against the wall in a corner (well he WAS a dark bird, and it WAS dark outside... ). Even still, it scared me the same. 
It's good to hear that your little Ivan is safe and sound though! What a mean little mourning dove that was...lol.


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

I bet Mourning Dove is still laughing and telling the story to every bird who will listen  
I would have had a heart attack too, what a scare. Glad Ivan is safe.

Reti


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## naturegirl (Nov 7, 2005)

That is such a cute story Maryjane. Made me chuckle but I am so happy that your little Ivan is safe and warm. I would have been in tears literally if it were my Pesto. Happy things are ok though. 

Cindy


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## Larry_Cologne (Jul 6, 2004)

Don't have an aviary, or enough to miscount. I've had some close calls when I put my foot down, just to barely miss someone who wasn't supposed to be there. Scary.

And I've worried when the raptors come by several times a day, and all the street pigeons take off. My two-year-old male *Wieteke* was at the window-sill day before yesterday, and I had him in, sitting on my shoulder, when everyone bolted. We saw a raptor a hundred meters or so up (not much higher than the nearby church steeple), and several flights of pigeons soaring and flying at the same altitude. Wieteke said "_heh_" (danger) twice as we both watched. He was glad to be indoors. 

Larry


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

LOL, Maryjayne, I have been through a similar panic so many times! We only have one collared dove in the aviary among 100 pigeons and she is John's darling! So many times I have looked for her, found her missing and convinced myself that I have walked out of the aviary with her sitting on my head. I go into a panic wondering how I will tell John. Fortunately I have always found her, tucked away out of sight, ignoring my increasingly desperate calls of "Poppeteeeee!".

Cynthia


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