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One of "our" pigeons has been hobbling about lately as he had managed to get his feet tangled up in something fibrous a few weeks ago and it has been slowly, but surely, cutting off the circulation to his little feet. He's already lost a couple of toes but all my attempts to grab him have failed miserably.
This morning he was on the window sill, one leg tucked up beneath him and looking very sorry for himself. The usual feeding frenzy ensued when I threw out birdseed and nuts and I decided to have another go at catching him. The other birds were very happy as I was giving them more food than normal in an attempt to create a little flock so that I could move in on Limpy without him noticing! Several attempts were useless, but I felt determined today, so I kept trying and, eventually managed to hover my left hand above him whilst tossing seeds out with my right. I slowly moved my hand lower and then clamped it round him before he twigged. I had to hold tight as a one handed pigeon grab is not great! I pulled him towards me and held him gently. but tightly, until David could take him from me with his legs sticking out (the pigeon's, not David's!).
I got my smallest, pointiest scissors out and began inspecting the damage. The poor thing's feet were really hot and the fibre, which turned out to be hair (yuck!) had become incredibly tight, even embedded in some areas. Of course, hair doesn't break down, so there was no chance that it would come off by itself. I was as gentle as I could be and managed to get some of the hair off after a few minutes. I had a fright as at one point his leg started to bleed - his skin was so tight and under pressure. I managed to stop the flow and then tried again, but could only get some of the hair off.
David "threw" him outside and he flew up into the trees. We haven't seen him all day, so I am guessing that he is keeping his distance from us just now...ungrateful little thing! I hope he's okay though, knowing how birds can panic so easily and go into shock, but I think he will be alright and maybe we have managed to save at least one of his toes.
Other than that, David has been fixing a coffee grinder so that it creates powder instead of the big lumpy bits that it was doing, and I've been making samples for the September QVC show - I won't be on but some of my new designs will be. Hope you'll like them! Lindsay
3 comments:
Well done you catching 'limpy'. Hope he will be ok. You do see a lot without feet. I think it's a problem of theirs. Can you fix my car now David. It was ok on Monday but refused to start this pm.
Luv Joanne xx
Ah poor Limpy, he will be glad you did it in a day or 2. You are brave I would never catch a pigeon.
Mind you this morning I was washing a hamsters bum!!! (She was a bit whiffy!!! ) She was quite happy for me to do it though as I think she thinks she is a cat!! (We are all mad in this house!LOL
Take Care Love Hazelxoxo
Well done you!!! nice to meet a fellow pidgeon lover Lindsay. You did amazingly to catch little Limpy and i am sure that you have done well to alleviate the pressure and maybe save a toe or two. If you are ever unsure you can always find out on the web where your nearest wildlife service is, or your vets can always supply contact numbers. It is nice as they like to bring any wild animals back to where they came from. It is a hard call with wild animals as you like nature to take it's course but sometimes we do need to intervene. Im sure they do appreciate what we do for them in their own way too Lindsay! I have a whole backgarden full of them, hedgehogs, foxes, wildbirds etc and im the first to want to help the little critters! Well done anyway and hopefully he will return very soon. Hugs Clare xxx
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