Movie Stars

Looks like my pigeons will be used in an independent film. I don't have many details yet - other than the character in the film rescues and rehabilitates homing pigeons. Gee, sounds familiar.

It's a great opportunity to get the birds trained and in top condition. Naturally, I'll ask for an "Animal (or Bird) Trainer" credit. Heck, I got a great entertainment lawyer to rep me! :)

Cody and Kaycee (Wyoming)

My two final pigeons have been born to Montecito Lofts. Hopefully, there won't be any surprise births after these two chicks. :) I want to keep the population at a good working level - and the flyers are pretty strong right now.

Cody and Kaycee will be trained using Applied Behavior Analysis. I'm excited because this is the first time I'll be working with pigeons and, hopefully, get a chance to free fly them in public. Of course, their homing instincts may take over from trainer behaviors - which will be another interesting experience.

I'll be posting here about their status. They were hatched 11/13/11 and should be self-feeding in the next week or two which is when they will be pulled and start their training schedules.

Good News - 705

Finally, some good news about one of the young birds.

705 Birmingham a/k/a Bink, was a bird I removed from the nest when the hen abandoned the baby in favor of another clutch of eggs. I finished off the handfeeding and weaning. While he wasn't exactly handtame, he was much more human friendly than any of my other young birds.

After missing for a week and a half, I received a call this morning from a man in the Antelope Valley. The man raises Tumblers. Apparently, after flying 55 miles north, Bink saw a pigeon loft and landed. The man said Bink was very friendly, landed on his shoulder, was very thirsty and hungry and ate out of his hand. He called in the band number and called me.

Dana drove to pick him up this afternoon (thank god for Dana!) and Bink is on his way back to the loft. After I observe him for a few days and give him extra vitamins and probiotics, he'll go back in the loft. Also, when the birds fly, I'll keep him confined in the breeding aviary for a week or longer until I can be sure he has the trapping down.

This might be the only good news remaining from the lost babies (the other semi-tame baby was Cairo)

First Youngster Disaster/Fallout

For the first few days following the "first flight disaster" I could see at least one Delbar in the vicinity. I hoped it would make it back to the loft.

Unfortunately, last night I came home to find one of the feral cats had found, attacked and killed 703, Cairo. It was a special bird to me. It had been severely scalped by an older bird as a juvie and spent some time in the house while I tended to the head wounds. The cat removed its head and was in the process of removing the wing when I showed up.

The feral cats in my neighborhood are particularly aggressive. One came into my house through a doggie door, snatched my male toucan off his perch and tried to escape through the door. Luckily, I was home and caught the cat. They often kill and dismember mourning doves in my backyard, but don't eat them - they appear to kill for sport.

A disappointing first flight is turning out to have a very sad outcome.

Trials and Tribulations of a First Flight

Long time, no post.

The loft has been very busy for the last few months. There have been a total of 10 babies born this season - 7 pure Delbars and 3 Delbar crosses. I devoted an extra amount of time allowing them to get used to their aviary and surroundings, building their homing instincts, building flight muscles, etc. Finally, last Saturday morning, I released them along with the older birds (as guides) for their first flight.

Everything went well...for about 60 seconds. Then, from the west, a flock - yes, a FLOCK - of about 10-15 brown pelicans flew overhead and scattered all the pigeons (including the seasoned birds). I live close to the Sepulveda Basin and it's common to see a few pelicans but I've never seen a flock.

For the first two days, a few full Delbars were seen circling the house. They completely ignored the feed can. After three days, only one Delbar was seen on a nearby telephone pole. That day, a Delbar cross returned to the loft. Since then, no birds have returned.

The pelicans are a fluke, I know. But it's crushing after all that extra work. It's also odd that the birds with the least amount of homing instinct, my crosses, are the best survivors (last season I had 2 Delbars and 2 crosses - only 1 cross remains).

Back to the drawing board. Time to learn from the mistakes and move on. The price to pay stings sometimes...but watching healthy birds fly is worth the work.

Cooper's Hawk - 11-22-10

First close call with a Cooper's Hawk today.

The birds were let out as usual. When I was cleaning the flight loft, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a dark bird fly overhead. Normal - sometimes crows will fly around the birds.


I went inside and returned a few minutes later with food just in time to see a Cooper's Hawk fly down into the yard, along the wall and take a shot at the birds flying from the roof of the house to the loft. Luckily, he missed. One bird hung from the bathroom window, another on the back wall (in cat territory) and another by the trashcans. I spooked them into the air and they all trapped immediately.

I'm trying to decide if the birds should be grounded for a few days.

On another note: I was starting to trap train Sydney and Fairbanks (40+ days old) when the hawk hit. They dashed from the breeding aviary into the loft very fast. Not the best way to learn how to trap.

Move Update

Several birds were moved to the new loft section. Frisco, Dover, Salem and Roswell all moved to their new nestbox with very little incident. NOTE: The door needs to be swapped so that the entrance is on the same side as the strut board.

As of this AM, Savannah is not sitting on her one egg. The other egg is due to be laid tonight - perhaps she will begin incubating. Dallas is reacting poorly to move. Very skittish and refused to leave perch overnight.

Jack and Chile, Sydney and Fairbanks moved this morning. Jack is very agitated, attempting to re-enter the old loft by hanging on the adjoining door.

OTHER: Chile and Paris had violent fight overnight or this morning. Both beaks and wattles were bloodied and cut. Chile is in the new loft and Paris remains in the old section.

Things to do over the weekend: Finish the roof, install the remainder of the nestbox fronts, sweep more, install landing board over trap, bring in solid feedbin and water supply.

Once everything is set up: Move in Marty and possibly Topeka and Finny.

Breeding/Flight Loft Movement

The breeding loft will be complete today! Just in time since Savannah has laid her first egg. Here's the loft plan for now:

Breeding Section: Dallas, Savannah (with Baby One and Baby Two), Frisco, Dover, Salem, Roswell, Marty, Fairbanks, Sydney, Topeka, Finny, Jack and Chile. The only permanent residents of the breeding loft will be Dallas, Savannah, Jack, Chile, Marty, Fairbanks and Sydney. Baby One, Baby Two, Salem and Roswell will all be moved to the flight loft when weaned.

Old Section: Juneau, Memphis, Brooklyn, Paris, Phoenix, Diego, Berkeley, Shanghai and Cheyenne.

All breeding stops here for the next six months - at least! My plan is to start doing a little more road training. If birds are lost, they will be replaced by breeders - but not until next year.

11/9/10 Update

The progress with the breeding section of the loft has been very slow. There will be nine full nestboxes with white plastic fronts. In front of each box will be a strut board for the cock. There will also be a number of perches on the walls. An aviary big enough for sunshine and bathing will be attached.

Salem and Roswell are full of seed. I have not seen the parents feeding crop milk in some time. There is a bit of clicking but they do not seem to be aspirating in any way. Also, they parents do not seem to be as attentive in the colder weather. I checked them last night and they were covered by Dover, so I left it alone.

Fairbanks and Sydney are now fully feathered and testing their wings. They have not left the nestbox but are very curious. I put them in the aviary for a few hours over the weekend to exercise in safety, but they were stunned.

I will start putting them on the landing board, aviary cage closed of course, to get them used to the surroundings before soaping them and allowing them to fly (this weekend).

Jack and Finny are both on two dummy eggs. There are other birds strutting and cooing but no other pairs seem to be forming at the moment.

Plans for breeding section: Dover, Frisco, Jack, Chile, Marty, Dallas, Savannah and Marty. The rest to stay on the young bird side.

Update 11-4-10

A little bit behind. Jack is starting her second batch of eggs. First egg on 11/2/10.

Finny had two eggs which were replaced with dummies (Topeka is the sire). Jack's eggs will be replaced as soon as I see the second egg.

Salem and Roswell are going great and are now banded with Zeppelin bands.

Sydney has developed a crest on the head. What could be in Jack's background for the crest? Perhaps a satinette? Fairbanks has no crest.

The new breeding section of the loft is being built and installed in the next few days. Pix to follow.

Updates 10-29-10

Salem and Roswell were born on the morning of 10-27-10 (Hen: Dover, Cock: 'Frisco). Both are pink and healthy and doing well. Crops are always full.

Sydney and Fairbanks started self feeding on 10-29-10 at 19 days old.

The loft is being "moved" on Saturday in preparation for the new addition.

Update 10-25-10

Saturday, October 23, 2010, 7:30AM - Juneau (103) returned home. He's been missing since October 6th.

Saturday, October 23, 1:00PM - Picked up two white homers from Tad. Cock and hen named Dallas and Savannah, respectively.

Monday, October 25, 2010, 8:15AM - 15 day old babies doing great. One egg was heard pipping at 5:30PM on Sunday evening. No cracks in shell this morning and no more sounds of pipping. Check again this evening .

Update 10-21-10

The last few days have been horrible in Sunny SoCal. It's rained every morning, keeping the birds trapped in the loft. The floor is staying relatively dry - some dampness seems to be seeping up from the floor. Not bad enough, though, for dressing.

Jack and Chile are not constantly with the babies right now. I think they are probably looking for a new nest site. They still feed them and the babies are growing well. VERY well.

Dover and Frisco's eggs are due to hatch in the next 3-5 days. I can only hope they are as good as parents as Jack and Chile.

Sydney and Fairbanks 10-189-10

Babies are growing and putting on a huge amount of weight. They are very active and alert. They were both banded on Sunday but Sydney's legs are very small and the band continues to slip off. Will check again this evening.

Day Three - Sydney and Fairbanks

The babies are growing fast. It has been chilly in the mornings so Jack is keeping them completely covered. Both crops are full and feeding seems to be going well - both parents involved. Chile is assuming daytime responsibilities.

Judging from some of the loose feces in the loft, other hens may be preparing to lay. No nestbuilding seen yet.

Topeka (95) still in hot pursuit of Finny (32).

Day two

Babies feeding and doing well.

Updates and Reminders

Dover and Frisco laid first egg on Friday, October 8. Second egg seen roughly 48 hours later. Birds began incubating immediately with first egg. Eggs should be candled for viability on October 15th.

Sydney and Fairbanks to receive PMV and Sal Bac vac in 4-8 weeks. Must be banded on October 16.

Fairbanks and Sydney

Both eggs have successfully hatched. Jack and Chile are feeding the babies. Excellent!

Welcome Fairbanks!

Jack's first egg was seen pipping Sunday morning at about 9:15. Progress was slow. The chick hatched some time over night and was first seen at 6:05AM this morning.

The second egg is still slowly hatching. I could hear the chick pecking away at the shell with its egg tooth.

Welcome Fairbanks!

Routing

The birds routed on their own this morning. They were out of view for at least 20 minutes. The day was very overcast with a slight drizzle, some blue sky showing. 6:45AM release, 7:20+ return.

One bird missing when I left for work - Juneau (103). Not visible.