Wednesday's Words: A Resilient Pigeon's (now named TAM) Update

THE WILD BIRD FUND

I’m offering this blog post as a follow-up re the status of an injured pigeon whom I initially discovered in my garden this past Saturday (10-10-2020) and whom I spoke about in Monday's (10-12-2020) entry here on Blogger.

The collage directly above gives a pictotial overview of the pigeon's fate, and below is a copy of what I baiscally said (italicized text) about it on Facebook:

As of this posting, my injured pigeon, now named TAM,* after the people who weighted in on what I should/could do and someone who helped me capture him (for transporting to The Wild Bird Fund (WBF).

[*TAM: “T” for Tina Pina, pigeon advocate and artisan, “A” for Amanda Remsberg, bird re-habber, and “M” for Martha, AKA MB, the woman who helped with my rescue.]  

MB can be seen in the next photograph (which was taken in 2016) where she is standing in my garden. 

We were working in my garden during a time, the now often full-time wearing of face-masks could never have been imagined. However, re-purposing plastic bags into rain gear was quite the norm. 

In any event, the weather, was very similar to the conditions taking place in March of 2016 and when an attempt was made to sweep/clean behind the container housing my Smoke Bush (which is a large dark-green box seen to MB’s right in the image, or to the lower left in photo view), a dead pigeon was discovered.

AN UNFORTUNATE PIGEON

I began to weep, and MB, unaware of my recent experiences in discovering an injured pigeon, warned me to take it easy. As the work in the garden continued, a planter that is home to my fall blooming anemones which butts up against a large planter that is now housing my Sweet Autumn Clematis and toadlilies (seen in the following image)...

TOAD LILIES WITH OTHER FLORA

... was moved and in doing so, my injured visitor’s hiding place was discovered and she was able to pick him up and set him in my bathroom..

A SAFE PLACE FOR AN INJURED PIGEON

...until we could (within an hour’s time) take him to The WBF. 

Alas, I had no brown paper grocery bags on hand as I don’t buy many groceries and when I do, in the interest of recycling take a bag from any store as I carry a cloth bag. Therefore I lined a box with one of my bedsheets, placed the pigeon in it.

Then I put his box in a Christmas gift bag — the only bag I had on hand — for transporting.

TRANSPORT FOR AN INJURED PIGEON VIEW 1

MB drove me to The WBF...

THE WILD BIRD FUND

... where the intake person mentioned how remarkable it was that this creature survived the heavy rains of the past few days.

Out of an abundance of caution, convo exchanges between rescuers and rehabbers is extremely minimal and I neglected to ask how I might follow-up on his condition (they do not take phone calls).

Moreover, I “coulda” offered to release him in my garden, but the thought did not occur to me as I was focusing on helping him get the care he needed at the time.

On another note, my first experience in rescuing a pigeon and having him transported to The WBF is included in volume one...

WORDS IN OUR BEAK VOLUME ONE

... of my three hardcover book series, Words In Our Beak.

MY THREE VOLUME SERIES

I hope Tam will recover as one of my other rescuees (named Thursday) did under the care of The WBF, and if I'm able to find out Tam's prognosis, I'll be sure to post it on Facebook and on this blog.

The Half Year Eve

Today, June thirtieth in the year 2017, marks the end of the half-year for 2017. Therefore, I call it The Half Year Eve. Tomorrow, will be July first in the year 2017, and, I see it as an opportunity to assess what I hope to accomplish in this calendar year.

However, at this moment, my duties are dedicated to helping an injured pigeon that I discovered in my rooftop garden last night.

At the time, I wasn't able to assess his injuries, as it was too dark. Additionally, he kept trying to hide behind my large planters.

Therefore, I was unable to lure him into a container in order to transport him to The Wild Bird Fund (WBF) because it was too dark. Moreover, at that hour of the night, The WBF is not open.

However, I was able to reach Tina Pina (AKA Mother Pigeon), by phone, and she advised me as to what to do if I saw the creature this morning.

When I went into my garden this morning, I was relieved to spot him, and to know that he had made it through the night. But I could tell the pigeon was not feeling well, and I literally gave him the shirt off my back; for I took the shirt I was wearing as a jacket off, and wrapped it around him so that I could pick him up, and put him in an over-sized brownbag (as seen in the photographs atop this entry), in order to be able to take him to The WBF when they open today.

Upon placing him in the bag, and adding a container of water and some food, I discovered that he had gotten his foot or wing caught in some wire contraption. I don't know how he managed that, as I have nothing like that around, but there he was caught in a wire.

I attempted to free him from this, but I stopped as I was afraid I might cause more damage to this sweet pigeon, who had gotten himself into quite a fix!

Hopefully, I'll be able to get him to The WBF, and, hopefully they will be able to free him from the wire contraption, as well as treat any injuries which might have resulted.

He is vacillates between being subdued and feisty, as I write this blog posting. But, I'm confident that if he survives the situation, his half year resolution will be to stay away from wire contraptions.

An Injured But Resilient Pigeon

SAINT FRANCIS IS FEATURED IN MANY OF MY BLOG POSTS

I need Saint Francis's (whose image is imprinted on a copy of a prayer card which is posted atop this entry) intercession on a situation with a pigeon who visited my garden this past weekend. He is known to be the patron saint of animals (especially birds, which is something I referenced in a recent FB post).

In any event, this past Saturday (10-10-2020) in the early evening, I noticed a pigeon in my outdoor space who did not seem to be doing very well. I had hoped to "capture" him in order to transport the creature to The Wild Bird Fund  (WBF) but since they were closed for the evening, my next best option was to "capture" him and make him comfortable for the night so I could take him to The WBF the next morning (which would be Sunday, 10-11-2020).

Years ago I learned about transporting injured or sick birds to The WBF so I knew this could be done but I was a little unsure of how I might keep this unfortunate pigeon comfortable over night so I phoned the Brooklyn based pigeon advocate (and artist extraordinaire), Tina Pina AKA Mother Pigeon (who graciously called me back with helpful tips) to seek her advice as I could not reach bird rehabber Amanda Remsberg  (AR) whom I usually contact when I have questions re birds in need.

But it turned dark outside very quickly and so it was impossible to see anything but I prepared my rescue and transport supplies to ensure I'd be ready for Sunday's mission.

I did not see my visitor in the morning but he was there in the afternoon and I was able to determine he could fly but was injured. Plus I could hear a thumping sound when he limped across my terrace.

However, in spite of my past successes with swooping up a bird in order to take him/her to The WBF, I could not grab this guy, but I could take pictures of him (seen in the next sequence of photos)...

PIGEONS ARE FEATURED IN MY BOOK SERIES

PIGEONS ARE FEATURED IN MY BOOK SERIES

PIGEONS ARE FEATURED IN MY BOOK SERIES

PIGEONS ARE FEATURED IN MY BOOK SERIES

... and contact AR about this for a form of "tele-med" (via Facebook Messenger). The following is a copy of our correspondence that was based on the images posted above.

ME: Here is what my limping visitor looks like. I thought from the face he/she is a youngster BUT from what you said about the feet, I may be way off. I'm not confident I'll be able to "grab" te bird in order to transport him/her /to the WBF, but I can hear "thumping" (from a limp) when the bird moves  about. Thanks again for your time.

AR: Yea, he does look young with that knobby pale beak.  Such pretty colors.  I hope he will be ok.  The placement of his feet doesn’t look like a broken leg, maybe just soft tissue damage.  Tis a hard life for a pigeon in the city. 💕

ME: He's out there right now and I guess I should just let him alone because I can't capture him and he may be safer here?

AR: Hopefully.

ME: Hopefully indeed. It's hard to her him thumping about and not be able to provide relief.

UPSHOT: It is now Monday(10-12-2020) and a cold rain is falling heavily but I am keeping my eye out for the pigeon and ready to continue to take action in order to transport him to The WBF. I truly care about this pigeon's well being. 

As some of you may know, pigeons are featured within my three volume hardcover book series, Words In Our Beak which are available wherever book are sold get your copies now and please stay tuned for updates on the pigeon featured in today's post.

MY BOOK SERIES