Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[patsylabrador]

There's a beautiful pigeon in my garden this morning. It's fox-brown with a white tail and it actually has rings on it's fingers and bells on it's toes. They're both around it's legs actually- I googled it and the bells are to scare away birds of prey. It sounds very pretty when it walks. It looks cold, very fluffed up and hunkered into itself so I guess it's tired.

I checked up the homing pigeon website and it said if it seems ok to just observe it for 48 hours by which time it should have rested and move on. There is plenty of wild bird seed and water in the garden and it has teamed up with the squadron of feral pigeons who know where breakfast is - my garden

They're all lined up on next doors roof at the moment. I think it will be ok but i'll watch out for it anyway.

[mullethunter]

When I was little our chickens were totally free range and we used to call them to be fed every evening. As well as the chickens a load of sparrows and pigeons would also come when called. We had a pigeon with a leg ring (we imaginatively called him a Racer!) turn up one day and he stayed with our gang of feral pigeons and came to be fed every day for months.

[patsylabrador]

The pigeon is still here. It's very sweet and is getting more confident with me. Although it has decoration on it's legs I can't see any ID. We've called him Mr Brown. I'm hoping that at some point I can handle it and find out who he belongs to.

It sat just out of reach with me this afternoon in the garden and at one point pottered about the garden with the chickens.

It is a very nice little animal.

Our other unofficial pet, Francis the stray cat, has started coming into the house and watching me cook. He still hisses and lunges if I get too close but that's quite nice too.

[Lewis]

Did you ever find out who Mr Brown belonged to or did he fly off of his own accord?

 

Can imagine Francis sat licking his lips waiting to see what you're cooking

[patsylabrador]

Hi. Mr Brown is still with us and we have become quite fond of him/her. We tried to catch him a couple of times until I read an article that said as a failed racing pigeon he would probably be killed by his owner. I felt that as I hadn't taken ownership I would let the bird choose. He is sweet and beautiful and learning survival skills.

Once he was caught in a hailstorm and panicked and just ran to and fro until he sheltered under a bush. Now that is automatic and he hangs out more and more with wild pigeons. That was interesting, adult pigeons seemed to reject him probably because of his bells but this year's pigeons appear to be his friend - Francis is not his friend!

[Daphne]

We had a racing pigeon adopt us earlier this year and until he was taken by a raptor I really enjoyed having him spend hours with me. He would feed from the hand and used to spend hours sunbathing or toodling about on the patio near the humans, although he wouldn't let himself be caught or stroked