Some days do not end up with the planned agenda! Yesterday was one of those days.
The phones rang early and a volunteer was asking for some help. His mom had taken an early morning walk with the family dog. The dog stopped and followed her nose – right to an injured American Racing Pigeon, which the mom immediately scooped up and took home.
Our volunteer can work miracles with animals so his mom approached her sleepy son and tucked the wounded bird into the crook of his arm. Suddenly alert he went into action and instinctively knew the bird needed water before anything else. He made a quick phone call to me and the pair ended up here at Kipling Rock Farm.
We found a band on the injured birds leg. An internet search helped me determine this was a young bird that had been banded during August of this year. Next the letters PNW told me this bird was local and it did turn out his owner was a member of a local club. Several phone calls later the birds owner was reached and he came by before dark to collect this beautiful creature. We had given it water every half hour and got attached very quickly to its sweet manners and attentiveness, and we all got to learn something new about a local feathered neighbor and its people. The grateful owner advised that too often some birds tangle with high wires (Pigg 2339 was found near radio towers) but we learned this bird was from very good breeding stock and its young age and general strong health meant it will likely heal well even though both legs appeared to be broken.
The birds owner offered to notify our volunteer when it’s time for the next race day. Everyone seemed very satisfied with how the day ended.
It is easy to learn more about how special these animals are. Just do an internet search and you will learn to read the leg band and what to do if an American Racing Pigeon lands in your care!
Kipling Rock Farm 