 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
NOT ALL PIGEONS
LIVE AT THE
COURT HOUSE |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pigeon & Crumbs |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A truck pulled up in the yard. Out steps my friend, Rebecca, a vet tech, holding a bird. Here we go again! But this isn't a parrot, it isn't a dove. This is a pigeon! I don't do pigeons! I don't take conures, either, but a pair of cute little peachfronts found their way here. And I don't do Amazons, but Maxi, Tutti, and Foster moved in to stay. And I don't do cockatoos, but Peaches, the lively little bare-eyed, lives here and I definitely don't take in macaws, but for some reason LuLu calls this place home! |
|
|
|
So, "What's with the pigeon?" It was found disorieted in a yard. The family, not wanting the neighborhood cats and dogs to get it, picked it up and took it to Rebecca. Rebecca packed it up and brought it to me. It looks OK to me, but it was obviously favoring a wing. It wasn't going to fly for awhile. Of course I'll give the pigeon a place to eat and sleep until it can fly home. |
|
|
|
But wait, there is a catch here. Rebecca reaches into her pocket and pulls out a 10 day old tiger striped kitten. They both need a home. The pigeon was named FlyBoy in hopes some self-fulfilling prophecy will lead him back to his home loft; the kitten was named Homer in honor of his traveling companion, the racing homer. |
|
|
|
Being a "parrot person," I jumped right onto that speeding highway called the internet and started looking for pigeon information. After all, the internet was there for me when I took my first excursion into the wonderful world of doves. The bird came with a band and the number was soon traced to a racing pigeon club about 3 hours down the interstate. With a little deeper investigation, I located the club and the club secretary in charge of issuing bands. Finally, I was getting somewhere. After about a week's delay, the probable owner called to say that he appreciated me taking in the bird, but he was not interested in getting the bird back. After all, he said, "Any homer that needs a taxi ride home belongs in pigeon stew." Oh, my, what have I gotten myself into! |
|
|
|
I have no idea how to make pigeon stew. I have no desire to find out. FlyBoy is here to stay. So, off I go to find out all I can about pigeons. It is obvious from the pigeon people I'm meeting, they have an intense interest in the quality of their birds and they are willing to help a beginner get started. Did I say I wanted to get started? I don't think so. I think I started out looking for a couple of "cull" birds to keep FlyBoy company. |
|
|
|
The American Racing Pigeon Union has a "Help a Beginner" program that provides "newbies" to the sport with encouragement, training and quality breeding stock. Within a few visits to area lofts, I had more pigeons than I think the city allows. Hhhmmm...these pigeon people are something! I've never had anyone else offer me a quality pair of birds!
I joined a local racing club to meet with others and learn about husbandry and training. Everyone is so willing to help and teach. It wasn't long until I was free flying pigeons that I had raised in my own loft. What a breath-taking sight! I open the loft trap in the early morning and off they go. The color, the beauty, the grace, the elegance in those powerful wings as they take off and fly to places only pigeons know about! And then, about 4PM, circling, ready to come home. Now, I will have to confess the first few evenings I was in the back yard with my lawn chair and a flashlight watching for stragglers....taking head count before I put them to bed for the night. On training days I pack them up, take them several miles from home and turn them loose. I watch them for as far as I can see them, first circling to get their bearings, maneuvering into their own special order and heading for home. When I pull in my driveway, there they are -- waiting for something to eat and drink. How special these magnificant birds are! |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
Pigeons come in many varieties and many are used primarily for show birds. A few of these have found their way here, too. These two ORIENTAL FRILLS came from separate directions. Frosty, on the nest, came from South Texas, just needing a new home, Her mate arrived from Oklahoma with a broken leg and dislocated wing. They are wonderful parents! |
|
|
|
|
|
BLACK ENGLISH CARRIERS |
|
 |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
ICE PIGEONS |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pigeons can be a relatively inexpensive hobby for the entire family. If you are interested in a family sport, healthy competition, something you can do with small children, adults or your grandchildren, don't overlook pigeons,
racing and showing. |
|
|
|
EXTINCTION IS FOREVER |
|
|
 |
|
|
Visit these sites dedicated to the
Passenger Pigeon |
|
|
|
http://www.ulala.org/P_Pigeon/Monument.html |
|
|
|
http://www.ris.net/~tony/ppigeon.html |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
BE AN ANGEL
SUPPORT PDD RESEARCH |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
Fly me Home
to Charlie's Index |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
My Page
Splay Leg
You Found a Baby Bird |
|
|
A Thinking Place
Meet the Residents
Who Will Take Care of Your Birds?
Accidental Aviculturist
Charlie's Dove Cote
Link Up
Pigeon Breeder's Lung |
|
|
|
Charlie's Angels
Are You Ready for an Emergency?
MONKees Come to Texas
Caravan Across Texas
A Little Birdy Told Me |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
Visit These Web Rings
Holly's Christmas Story
Lost, Found, Stolen & Missing |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
birdangel@hotmail.com |
|
|
|
|
|
6/00 |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|