This racing pigeon somehow managed to get themselves into the room above my mother’s garage last week. We still can’t quite work out exactly how or why! Despite their familiarity with humans they refused to hop down to my hand, flew to another rafter if I got too close and were too high in the rafters to throw a towel over. I also couldn’t see its full ring number in order to contact its owner.

So with dusk fast approaching we decided to leave it overnight.

The first day overhead in the rafters

The following morning I was up bright and early to see how the pigeon was getting on. It looked okay. I re-opened a velux window but the weather was horrendous. I didn’t actually expect it to venture outside, but it was worth a try.

I checked in again early afternoon, and it looked at me with an expression that indicated it wasn’t going anywhere and it also seemed to be asking if could I shut the window as the storm was getting worse! So I shut the window, and left it some seed and water. It would be fine for another night. As Mum said racing pigeons must spend most of their life just sitting around! However both of us were getting concerned. If it didn’t leave the next day what were we going to do?!

On its second morning with us I awoke early as I usually do, and headed out to the garage before 6am. The storm had passed and it felt like it might be a nice day, so fingers crossed the pigeon would want to leave. As I climbed the stairs I was relieved to see that it was on a rafter opposite the window. It had eaten all the seed I had left the day before, and by the looks if it had also drunk some water. I began to feel optimistic.

I walked slowly over to the window, and opened it. It didn’t fly out but nor did it move away. However I guessed it wouldn’t help if I stayed around.

Two hours later Mum happened to look over towards the garage and spotted movement near the window. I looked up and I could see it on the window frame. Then suddenly it went – but which way?!

We agreed to leave it a while before we checked. A few hours later . . . . .

Yay, it had gone home, and I had a rather fun ‘overhead‘ for Debbie!

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