Pigeon Update *EDIT*

Okay, the saga of Carl and Clara Canoodler continues.

I have learned more about homing pigeons than I ever thought was necessary.  All in an effort to protect these feathered friends of mine.  Most people could care less about a "rat with wings" but to me they represent something more.  One more case of animals being used for the entertainment of animals who walk upright and then discarded when they don’t perform to expectations.  It makes me so mad.  Because of these people these birds cannot live on their own in the wild.  Grrrr. 

Moving on.  I got in touch with a man in Gloucester and one in Chelmsford.  Goodness, for any of you out there, uhm, let’s hope you don’t have to deal with bird people in your lifetime.  It’s an act of supreme patience talking with these people.  Okay, so the man in Chelmsford told me I need to get the pigeons numbers off their leg bands.  He said I would need to wait until dark to do this.  Evidently pigeons are nightblind.  Who knew?  He said it would be easier for me to snag them at night because of this.  Okay, no problem.  Then he said to contact the man in Gloucester with the information I get off their leg bands.  Right.  Good. 

I decided before I wrestled the pigeons at night that I would contact the man in Gloucester first. I did.  He said once I got the information that he would help me find the owners.  Then he’d contact the owners and try and get them to pick up their pigeons but that I shouldn’t expect him to because again, for like the 6th time, the owners probably won’t want them back because they got lost.  *sigh* 

Last night, armed with a blanket, a flashlight, a notepad and pen, my neighbor Carol and Brian we stole out into the night at 10:00 PM.  Sure enough, there were Carl and Clara on the ground forraging in the seeds I’ve been placing outside every day, next to the cup of water I leave.  In a split second I whispered to Brian to sneak up behind them and throw the blanket on top of them.  DONE!  Quick as a wink.  I then had Carol and Brian stand on the corners of the blanket so they couldn’t escape while I gently rolled the blanket up enough to scoop them together.  I picked them up…one at a time and rolled the blanket off them so I could get a peek at the numbers.  Bri held the flashlight so I could see and I just started yelling out numbers for Carol to write down.  Done.  Numbers obtained…now it was time to set Carl and Clara free.  I shooed Brian and Carol back into the house and I gently unrolled my fine feathered friends from the blanket and they TOOK OFF!  FAST!!!  For the first time they actually flew away from my house.  I was SAD!  I thought I had scared them off for good and I worried all night about that.  Worried they’d be hurt or starve to death. 

Oh and I learned the food I am feeding them is not their regular feed.  They are given cracked corn.  Doh!  Although the feed I’ve been feeding them has cracked corn in it, it has other seeds.  They’ve been eating it though.  I’ll go out after work today to find some cracked corn for them.

*goes off topic and starts singing* Tammy Cracks Corn and I don’t care… 

Woke up this morning and came down to head off to work and YAY!  Carl is back, but no sight of Clara.  I think when I get home today she’ll be back too.  Called the man in Gloucester and the man in Chelmsford and gave them the numbers.  The man in Gloucester said they are from 2 different groups!!!  How frikken cute is that? 

Anyhoo, as a backup, in case the beastly owners don’t want them, I’ve got 2 people from my Animal Rights Coalition group working with me on this now.  Someone from that group told me that if we don’t do something with them they will probably end up as hawk food.  *gasp*  That would KILL ME!!  Coming home to find a hawk had eaten my friends!  One lady knows a man who raises pigeons and has taken lost homing pigeons before.  Evidently he loves his pigeons.  She thinks he might take them from me.  Or on the alternative she knows of an animal sanctuary that might take them.  I’ve been corresponding with her all morning via email.  I told her if the man in Upton will agree to take them I will capture them again, put them in a carrier and drive them to Upton this weekend.

So hopefully Clara and Carl Canoodler will live happily ever after in good hands soon. 

Mouseover.

**EDIT**

By the way…both Brian and Carol think I am nuts about this.  Especially Brian.  He just keeps looking at me, smiling and shaking his head.  Oh, and once he muttered, "Don’t EVEN THINK about keeping them!"  After finding out they are from 2 different groups, I’ve decided my pigeon love story from the entry a few back is really apt.  *LOL*  They’ve found each other and fell in love.  Awwww.  Brian was laughing so hard at me this morning when I told him my story he said between gasps of laughter, "Oh, yeah, was Carl from the wrong side of the tracks?"  I said, "Oh yes!!  that’s it.  Princess Clara fell in love and didn’t care so they waited for the big race and made plans to escape together."  He laughed so hard at that he got cramps.  What’s so funny?  It could be true ya know.

Now get thee to the entry before this one.  DO IT PLEASE.  It’s making me laugh my ass off.  And I need all the ass off of me that I can get!  I’ll reciprocate, I promise!