My wildlife experience: pigeons

[Bren]

Okay here we go. This morning I was rummaging through my bedroom closets trying to find some decent clothes to wear. (No, I didn't find any pigeons there.) In the meantime while thinking about what I needed to find I looked outside to see what the weather was like. Right outside my bedroom window just a few feet away there's a large pine tree. And a fat grey pigeon was hopping about on one of the branches. "Well what do you know!" I thought. "A pigeon roast!"

Unfortunately my could-be-meal flew away. But then I saw something else. On the next branch was a bird's nest. And in the nest was another bird. Yes, I was staring at the mama-pigeon nesting nice and comfy in its nest. I felt kind of bad about thinking of making a meal of the papa-pigeon. (But for the record: I get my food only from the grocery store, so the pigeon was quite safe) And then I started thinking about the squirrels. They eat baby birds don't they? Or at least bird eggs. Not good.

Hmm. I'll try to get some pictures if can. Maybe not possible because I don't want to disturb the birds. Let's see how this all ends up.

 

[mikebike]

Bren.......
You are a silli girl.... eating pigeons ....hmmmm .....

that a unique post my dear.

 

[Cloggy]

and I thought they just stored them till winter when food is scarce

No don't think squirrels attack birds, well I've never heard of it.

 

[HavBlue]

And then I started thinking about the squirrels. They eat baby birds don't they? Or at least bird eggs. Not good.

Hmm. I'll try to get some pictures if can. Maybe not possible because I don't want to disturb the birds. Let's see how this all ends up.

Pictures would be awesome. Most squirrels eat nuts, seeds, grain and many types of fruit. In general, their favorite food would be nuts. Urban squirrels have adapted to eat just about anything, including pizza, luncheon meats and all forms of snack foods. You are correct in that squirrels have been known to eat bird eggs but this is a last resort. Much like any other animal when natural food is scarce, they will eat anything they can find. In the wild, a squirrel will mark a territory of roughly 7 acres. In populated areas they won't venture as far nor do they need to as human populations tend to offer a target rich environment when it comes to food sources.

 

[bd43]

Right outside my bedroom window just a few feet away there's a large pine tree. And a fat grey pigeon was hopping about on one of the branches.

Interesting post Bren. If your bike is parked under the tree, I suggest you reconsider having squab for dinner. Pigeon doo doo on the bike does wonders to the paint job.

Love it! :thumbup:

 

[pedwards89]

What you need to do Bren, is shimmy up the tree when mama pidgeon isn't about & tie one end of a nylon thread around one of the chicks legs & the other end to a branch.

Mama pidgeon will keep feeding the chick until it fledges, which it will never do, because it is tied to the tree. When it is sufficiently well fed, rescue it from the tree & braise with some red wine.

 

[Bren]

Pigeon doo doo on my bike?!? Never!! Good thing the branches don't stretch all the way to the road side where I'm going to keep my bike. (Why I say going to is because I still got a couple of weeks to go before I get it in use.)

I don't think I want to raise a pigeon-porker either. I'm fine with veggies and fish. Btw, I tried to take some pictures yesterday, but it seems that I can't zoom in close enough with my camera. I'll just have to stalk around if I can spot the papa-pigeon and get it in a photo. Hmm... Bren the Pigeon Stalker. LOL

 

[grommit]

Pigeon Pie

Ingredients
4-5 pigeons, drawn
salt and pepper
250g/8oz stewing beef
250g/8oz shortcrust pastry
beaten egg to glaze
2 tsp cornflour
300ml/10fl oz stock


Method
1. preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
2. Joint the birds into two breast joints and two leg joints each and stew the rest of the carcass in a little water to make stock for the gravy.
3. Cut the beef into small pieces and line a deep 20cm/8in pie dish with these.
4. Lay the pigeon joints on top, cover with water, add salt and pepper, then cover the pie dish with greased paper or aluminium foil. Place in the oven and simmer for 1½ hours.
5. Remove from the oven and raise oven temperature to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
6. Cover the pie with the shortcrust pastry, brush the top with beaten egg, put back into the oven and bake until the pastry is golden brown.
7. Make a gravy by mixing 10g/2tsp cornflour with a little cold water and add to 300ml/10fl oz of the warmed stock. Allow to thicken while stirring, season and serve with the pie.

 

[Bren]

I'm still stalking the pigeons. I have no pictures though, my camera is not good enough. Sorry. Earlier this week I met one of my neighbours from downstairs. The lady told me that the bird is a wood pigeon. I got the impression that the same bird had been nesting there last summer too.

I'm a bit curious if there's going to be baby-pigeons too. I wonder if they'll be traumatized because of me stalking the poor creatures? LOL Nice recipe on the pigeon pie, grommit!

 

[grommit]

I caught this squirrel the other day eating out of our squirrel proof bird feeder.

 

[HavBlue]

Squirrel proof??? That's too funny. I remember when we had to have bear proof food lockers and trash bins. That didn't work either.....

 

[Hellgate]

In the city I like a nice spring-air pellet rifle for critter control. Some of those rifles have a muzzle velocity of 1000 feet per second! Amazing. The other good part it, if you want to cook it up it's not full of pellets. Those can crack a tooth!

 

[HavBlue]

In the city I like a nice spring-air pellet rifle for critter control. Some of those rifles have a muzzle velocity of 1000 feet per second! Amazing. The other good part it, if you want to cook it up it's not full of pellets. Those can crack a tooth!

Critter control? I heard they were selling people tags down there this year Pete?????? Especially in Laredo...LOL...

 

[Hellgate]

If ya wanna see "critter control" check out the Rattlesnake round up in Sweetwater, TX. sweetwater roundup

When we had first moved to TX years ago we were driving back to Colorado to go skiing. We tried to stop in Sweetwater to spend the night. Check the first Best Western and they said, "Got a reservation for the round up?" Nope..."Sorry, no rooms." We ended up having to drive another TWO hours, 100 miles, north for find a place to stay.

 

[driver145]

Lets just say... I have a pellet gun and my roommate likes to play with it in the backyard. Somehow, even though there are birds everywhere in the neighborhood and trees directly above my bike... there is rarely bird crap on my bike. Good roommate.

 

[segue00]

We've got turkeys crossing the streets here in Mass!!! Wouldn't wanna hit one of them suckers on a bike.

 

[Nelly]

We've got turkeys crossing the streets here in Mass!!! Wouldn't wanna hit one of them suckers on a bike.

Unless its comming up to thanks giving and your gig is called a car lol.

 

[HavBlue]

I think what I'm trying to say here is yes, they are the dumbest animals next to cows

Interesting thought. Terming a species that has the innate ability to fly from virtually anywhere on earth back to its nest and mate with literally no clue as to where it is as dumb. Tom Tom and the GPS folks could learn a great deal from that dumb pigeon. Let me tell you about that dumb cow. Many years ago they were running power lines across much of America and farmers were having trouble with their cows in that they didn't want to come in to be milked. Turns out the cows didn't want to come in because the concrete floors in the barns were wet and the static electricity from that power grid was charging the wet floors which in turn was shocking the cows.

Much like the human species each animal species has its own qualities and in most cases those qualities have taught us humans a great deal. They are many things but dumb is not one of them. :thumbup: