March 15, 2009 - The Pigeon Diaries
It
seems that my world is always about animals. Even though my four-legged
fur babies (including Bijou) have 24/7 access to my balcony a pair of
pigeons have laid two eggs there!!
As you can see I have rather crudely constructed a barrier
to prevent any feline peeking!!
My adult children disagree on the "white" pigeon - my daughter says it is an Albino pigeon and my son say it is a dove.
Do
pigeons mate with doves I ask? He says they are all the same...
Hmmm...... any other opinions? We are still getting late snow here so I
seem to be constantly putting up more barriers. Actually, now all I can
see is Mommy's tail. Gestation apparently is two weeks, and three if it
is cold. I noticed the first egg last Sunday. A bare egg in a large
plant pot looking very cold. I reached for a clean piddle pad and made
a nest to put this cold egg in. The next day I told all what I had done
and everyone was horrified!! "You can't do that - you have killed the
egg!"
I
felt so guilty I went home to promptly remove said piddle pad and much
to my delight there was a second egg on the piddle pad nest!
Well
all bets are on that I will NEVER see baby pigeons - has anyone ever
seen baby pigeons?? Apparently not - I have been told. But, my fingers
are crossed and Mom is forever on the eggs so we shall see! Stay tuned
for the next installment.
The white one I have named "Albi" and the Mommy I named "Pidge" - yes, I know, how creative....
P.S. I would love to dress them!!!
March 22, 2009
Mommy pigeon still on eggs - no babies - yet - Day 14.
Proud Papa - too cute!
Stay Tuned!! - one new chick see below
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Day 18
March 27, 2009
Bebe - a few hours old.
Look closely now right under Mommy's tummy.....little yellow fluff ball!
Little fuzzy baby... ahh!
Should be another tomorrow we'll see.
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Next Day
Day 2 (March 28, 2009)
Bebe and Ming-Ming
Today
is a bitterly cold Saturday and I have spent time trying to keep a
strong cold wind off of the family. Mommy moved aside so I could put a
pillow behind her to block the wind. I feel so bad for them. Come on
warm weather hurry up - these babies need you.
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Day 3 - March 29/09
Mommy
letting me see her babies. Earlier I went out and she was completely on
top of them. As I spoke a little beak popped out - maybe they are
getting to know my voice. Mommy is beside a long mirror which she likes
to peck. Yesterday, I bought some pigeon feed from Bosley's but I don't
think it's a hit yet.....
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Day 5
Bebe and Ming-Ming Cuddlin'..........-----------------------------------
Day 8 - What a difference!!
Bebe and Ming-Ming getting little pidgy feathers
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Day 9 - Listening to Me
Finally good weather - a balmy 14 today...
Day 10
Peek-a-Boo!
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Day 12
We
have had two days of warm weather >20 - Mommy is leaving the nest
for periods of time to get more food. I see her cheating on me at the
neighbour's balcony - note to self - find out what pigeon food
neighbour is buying....
Chicks
are not at all concerned about me and my camera. I wonder why they are
always facing in opposite directions? Are those white feathers I am
seeing?
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Day 13
Finally! They are facing the same way!!Mommy is often away now and I fixed up their nest a bit....very content to let me add soft grass.
Day 14
How can they look so different in one day? This amazes me! One looks like Mommy and one looks like Daddy. The darker one tries to stand a little bit when I talk to him/her. Over this lovely four day long weekend I will try to design a little coop.They are at odds again...
Good Friday - Day 15
New BasketWorked all day on a new shelter.
It is a drawer with a basket surrounded by mirrors to protect them.
Day 16
Something happened yesterday - I don't know what.... Daddy didn't appear - and Mommy was with a different pigeon. This surprised me as I had thought I had read that pigeons mate for life. Mommy had not showed up by 11:30 at night. The babies were very cold. After much stressing and debating I decided to bring them in for the night. "You Tube" shows how and what to feed baby pigeons. It also said to put a heating pad on "warm", covered with a towel beneath their nest (basket). Fortunately by morning Mommy was back and looking for them. So I put them back out and business as usual except no beautiful white Daddy....
Just now I went to my balcony and found poor Daddy - he is dying on the balcony across from mine. All alone on the cold bare concrete. I motioned to the neighbour to come out and asked her what was going on. She said he was injured -
I asked her if I could get him to try to help, call the wildlife rescue - any little thing, make him warm and comfortable to probably pass into the next world, but she denied me. So there he lies dying on a second floor balcony in the next building... he is so beautiful and deserved so much more.
And on the bare deck of my balcony I find a single new egg...
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Day 18
Daddy was confirmed dead yesterday. Mommy is on two new eggs and is still feeding the two chicks.
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Day 21- Apr17/09
Babies are so big! They are hopping out of the basket into the drawer. Their feet are almost 2 inches long. I am putting lots of extra food out for Mom. How she will handle 4 I don't know!
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Day 26 - Apr 22
No longer babies!Almost as big as Mom. I found out why nobody sees baby pigeons - it is because they are not babies very long...
The dark one is admiring himself in the mirror! 
