# Frustrating afternoon at Thorpe Green



## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

WE went to feed the pigeons at Thorpe Green around mid-day and they behaved as if they had already been fed abd fed well at that.

While I was watching them I looked at the tree that they often perch on and way up high in this tree I saw a pigeon withput a tail. Nothing I did tempted it down.

As I walked away I say a clump of three feathers close to the road and more feathers scattered around. It seems the little one was hit by a car.

I returned 4 hours later armed with raw unsalted peanuts which are duaranteed to bring the pigeons flocking around me. The pigeon was perched in exactly the same spot, but refused to come down even though he looked interested.

I know that pigeons can fly fairly well without a tail as long as the have their flight feathers , but it will affect manouverability and as this one was hit in flight I would rather bring her in intil the feathers regrow. So I will try again tomorrow.

This is a picture of her in her tree:


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## warriec (Feb 2, 2007)

she doesnt look in her best appearence. hope you succeed in catching her and getting her back on track


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Thanks warrie! I will keep trying.

Cynthia


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

I was not expecting a WHITE pigeon! Sure hope you can entice her/him to come down! Probably still in shock. At least he/she was able to fly UP in the tree. Now...to get down...

Will keep positive thoughts...and I know you will keep us updated, Cynthia.


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Poor baby. I sure hope you can get her soon. She doesn't look as if she feels the best.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

I hope you will also be able to secure her/him tomorrow. The poor little thing, but lucky to have you looking out for her/him.


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## feralpigeon (Feb 14, 2005)

Good eye, Cynthia, they are fortunate to have an ever watchful caregiver.
I hope you are able to bring her home until she feels better, she looks as though
she's seen 'better days'.

fp


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## Whitefeather (Sep 2, 2002)

cyro51 said:


> WE went to feed the pigeons at Thorpe Green around mid-day and they behaved as if they had already been fed abd fed well at that.
> 
> While I was watching them *I looked at the tree that they often perch on and way up high in this tree I saw a pigeon withput a tail*. Nothing I did tempted it down.
> 
> As I walked away I say a clump of three feathers close to the road and more feathers scattered around. *It seems the little one was hit by a car.*


Hi Cynthia,
So sorry to hear about this poor baby. My goodness, she doesn't have an inkling of a tail feather.  

Do you think, if she *was* hit by a car, it could have ran over her tail & in an attempt to flee she lost all her feathers? 

Will think positive thoughts that you are able to rescue this little beauty.  

Cindy


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## kittypaws (Sep 18, 2005)

Cynthia,

She's lovely - have you thought of climbing up the tree after her LOL ( Only joking) 

Lets hope she's hungry tomorrow!! Good Luck with the capture too once you get her down..... 

It's a bit like my little friend Chumley who has fishing line around both feet ( not hobbled though) and you can see he's in a pain although walks on them - but even after 4 months of being his friend and he recognising me as the nice lady with the peanuts, when I go in for the grab - he's off..... ggrrrrr

Tania x


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

Very observant of you - those birds are very fortunate to have you looking out for them. Sure hope you are able to take protective custody of this bird while the tail feathers regrow!


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

I so hope you can catch this beauty.
I know it is so frustrating to see them hurt and not be able to catch them.

Reti


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

No luck this morning, I couldn't see her anywhere. There were very few pigeons around and those that were there had obviously been very well fed already and were lying around enjoying the sunshine. I hope that this one is also somewhere safe.

Cindy, her tail was certainly lost by some sort of encounter with a car. To get to the green from their roost they have to fly across a busy road and as they are landing they fly low, it is all too easy for a car to clip them and they come at such a speed! 

Although they are provided with fresh water, good food and grit the litle devils like to go up to the road and get in the gutter, which makes them vulnerable. In that situation she could well have had a car run over her tail. When John and I go to feed them we spend a lot of time herding them back to the grass.

I think this is the third tailless pigeon that we have had from the green. Flakey was the first.

Cynthia


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## xxmoxiexx (Oct 2, 2006)

what a pretty pidgey, too!! i hope she's ok, are all the pigeons white around that park?


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## Aias (Nov 9, 2006)

moxie go study!  



xxmoxiexx said:


> what a pretty pidgey, too!! i hope she's ok, are all the pigeons white around that park?


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## LondonPigeon (May 10, 2005)

the poor baby  

I hope she will be found again, and Cynthia can take care of the bird


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

> are all the pigeons white around that park?


Over 90% of them are. There are also some regular ferals and some descendants of a feral pigeon/whie pigeon union.

Cynthia


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Again I saw the pigeon up a tree but although the others flocked down for peanuts she stayed put. This time I noticed that she avoided putting her weight on one leg.

A few minutes ago I had a telephone call from the lady that used to look after the flock, she told me to look out for a pigeon with no tail and all the feathers off its back because she had seen it eating and picked it up with no problems...but she let it go in case it was feeding young. She also said she thought it might have canker (I doubt it).

Ah, well. I will try again tomorrow. At least I know that it has come down for food.

Cynthia


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

cyro51 said:


> Again I saw the pigeon up a tree but although the others flocked down for peanuts she stayed put. This time I noticed that she avoided putting her weight on one leg.
> 
> A few minutes ago I had a telephone call from the lady that used to look after the flock, she told me to look out for a pigeon with no tail and all the feathers off its back because she had seen it eating and picked it up with no problems...but she let it go in case it was feeding young. She also said she thought it might have canker (I doubt it).
> 
> ...


Darn, Cynthia...could you ask the lady to hold the pij for you until you can get her? That is IF she picks her up again???


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

> Darn, Cynthia...could you ask the lady to hold the pij for you until you can get her? That is IF she picks her up again???


I told her that she should have held on to it and that I had been trying to catch it since Sunday. She thought it might be a hen with young to feed but I don't think it is.


Cynthia


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## xxmoxiexx (Oct 2, 2006)

i'm wondering, is there a way you can tell or guess if a pigeon is a girl with young to feed?? i always feel horrible taking a pigeon that might have babies...


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

xxmoxiexx said:


> i'm wondering, is there a way you can tell or guess if a pigeon is a girl with young to feed?? i always feel horrible taking a pigeon that might have babies...


This might help in identifying some parents who have been feeding babies for a week or more, not necessarily a girl or boy. My pigeons who are feeding their young, sometimes seem to have tiny bits of food around their beaks, and their beaks look a bit wet around the edges. I imagine them to look like they just got out of a dentist's chair after having their beaks open for a while. A little worn and stretched looking.


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

Useful observation. Thanks, Treesa!


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

*Success???*

Today I was feeding the swans on the far end of the green and most of the pigeons flew there to join me and have their brunch. When I walked down to their usual spot to refresh the water I loooked up into the tree and there was the tailless pigeon and two others. I put down more food and a few pigeons flew back over, then one from the tree came down followed closely by the one I was trying to catch. I was successful this time and brought her home to keep under observation but I am full of doubts that this is the right thing.

Joan had telephoned a couple of days ago to say that she had watched it fly from the ground to the tree and that was an effort. It flew off the tree to join me with a bit of difficulty as the tail sometimes serves as a break. Its back is not sprouting new feathers and it has quite a large scab. Its tail also seems not to have grown much in a week. All this would point to it being kept caged until it is fully fit.

However, it weighs 340 gms and feels quite solid so it must be feeding well and it is usually sitting next to a checkered pigeon with white feathers which it tries to move away from but could be its mate. Its mouth is clean.

If only they could talk, then I would know what was the best course of action to take. 

Cynthia


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Hi Cynthia,

I'm glad you caught the bird, I definitely think she needs some good supportive care, as obviously she may be deficient nutritionally as she needs extra to heal, as well as there may another health issue, especially if she has been so stressed.

Boy, what I wouldn't give....if they could just tell us "how they feel and where does it hurt". It sure would be a BIG help.


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Cynthia, I sure was pleased to read you had caught her. I definitely think she needs some TLC for a while.


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## LondonPigeon (May 10, 2005)

thanks Cynthia, I hope the bird will get better


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

Are the tail feathers broken off or pulled out?
I am asking because my Yodi has all his tail feathers broken for weeks now and I guess his tail won't grow back until the next moult. I guess if you pulled out broken feathers then the new ones would grow in much quicker.
I think you did the right thing catching him.

reti


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Hi Reti,

Fortunately all the feathers were "plucked" out, because I hate having to pluck them. They have started growing very fast and evenly now.

Cynthia


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

What beautiful, delicate new growth! The bird looks so clean and healthy now!


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

So GLAD this one was FINALLY caught!

I DO hope all will go well!

HUGS and HEALING THOUGHTS, Cynthia!


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

Looks good for this little one. I am so glad.

Reti


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Thanks everyone. Other than the feather loss this appears to be a very healthy pidge. His poops are perfect and plentiful.

Cynthia


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Hi Cynthia,

I'm glad this one is one is healthy, just needs the tail feathers. I wish all your patients were easy to rehab, and not such a worry.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

The sweet little one is so at home here, on his first morning he started lolling on a brick with one wing hanging down and he is doing the same now. But if the dogs walk into the room he becomes very wary and it made me realise that if there was a dog on the green he would have some difficulty in escaping in time. So I that removes my doubtrs as to whether it was right or wrong to bring him in¬

Cynthia


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## Whitefeather (Sep 2, 2002)

Great rescue Cynthia. So glad you were able to catch her.  
That little one will certainly have the best of everything while 'recovering'.  

Please keep us posted.

Cindy


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## feralpigeon (Feb 14, 2005)

I'm also glad you were able to catch this one, Cynthia. You know, I figure if
I'm stopping to think about "should I ", it probably means--Yes! Sometimes it's
that quiet voice that speaks volumes. In this case it looks like your dogs,
have helped prove the point, and a fortunate thing it is that it was your dogs and not out on the Green.

S/he's a beautiful bird and really so clean in appearance, I think you have a possible poster child for changing attitudes about dirty ferals..... 

fp


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

*Released!!*

My cheerful update for today. The woman speaking in the background at the send is asking whether we had saved the pigeon. She was very glad to hear a positive rescue story and to witness its conclusion.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=z6Pb-Xw94rM

Cynthia


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## jazaroo (Jan 1, 2006)

Cynthia, beautiful!

Nice job,

Ron


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## Whitefeather (Sep 2, 2002)

Thanks for sharing the release of "Notail' with us Cynthia.  

Looks like the weather is very pleasant.  
You're not sporting a jacket.  

Cindy


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Whohoo Cynthia - Notail looked really good. Knowing where Notail lives will be a big help because you will be able to keep tabs on him.


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

GREAT RELEASE! No tail looks GREAT!

HUGS TO ALL and a LONG *healthy* life to No Tail!

THANKS SO MUCH, Cynthia!


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Great release .. thanks for the video! Notail didn't waste much time high tailing it outta there  

Terry


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

There is no shortage of white pigeons, of course...

Yesterday at the same place we picked up yet another. This one has a broken leg and lost some tail feathers - probably another traffic victim.

Cynthia is now meals-on-wheels and pigeon ambulance service combined.

John


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

John_D said:


> There is no shortage of white pigeons, of course...
> 
> Yesterday at the same place we picked up yet another. This one has a broken leg and lost some tail feathers - probably another traffic victim.
> 
> ...


*No BETTER service could be found!!*  

Wishing the BEST to this new one!

HUGS and SCRITCHES... 

Shi


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## LondonPigeon (May 10, 2005)

thanks Cynthia


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Well, you all know by now how much I hate releases but this is one that I really felt good about. Hopefully his replacement in the hospital will also make a quick recovery and return to his flock.


Cynthia


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## Chris Y (Mar 5, 2007)

Well done Cynthia - good release


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## flitsnowzoom (Mar 20, 2007)

I love those pictures! What a wonderful feeling that must have been.  

Enter them in the contest.


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Ooops. Moved new pics to new thread 'Tales of Thorpe Green' as they are far from sick or injured 

John


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