[fist bump to Henry]
Henry has genes to spare!
We’ve noticed that Charlie will leave very late and then only seems to fly up or down to the next balcony. So late last night, I leaned out of our bedroom window and shined a flashlight onto the fifth-floor balcony below us. Sure enough, Charlie was staying there for the night. All of the units in our building are owned, but some owners rent theirs out, and the unit below is one of those. I recall an Indian family there most recently have not detected any activity for a while. I don’t know if they moved or are just back in India for a visit, but I guess Charlie feels it’s more peaceful there than with us at night. He was back up here early this morning. Funny little guy. Acts like an old man. Funny-looking, especially with what almost looks like an extra pair of wings, the way some feathers on eith side sweep up off his wings. Seems sad and lonely. But he eats okay. I think this is just the way he is.
Well, last night (Tuesday night), I didn’t need a flashlight. When I looked out the bedroom window, I could see lights coming from the unit below, and their living-room lights lit up the balcony. There was Charlie, all puffed up into a round ball on the top rail. There’s no way the people there could not have seen him. I wonder what they thought. No food or water had been put out. And he’s not come around here today; hope they didn’t capture him to eat for dinner! :eek:
Mint has followed Henry’s and Big Red’s habit of jumping up in the window to beg for food. Smart girl! She and her daughter keep coming around but Big Red not so much now. Maybe he’s on eggs during the day? He may have grown tired of missing out on food, as it seems he’s always shown up too late lately. Too many other pidgees around by the time he appears.
Well, this is a bit ominous. Charlie has completely vanished. Last seen on Tuesday night, mentioned above, on the balcony rail one floor below and all the lights on inside the unit. Now it’s about 11:30am Friday morning, and he’s not been seen since. Checked the balcony below on both of the previous nights, and no Charlie there. And no one home either. I have a bad feeling they may have done something to him, although how they managed to catch him is a mystery.
And I’m wondering if this may help explain the mystery of Big Red’s tail. Hmmm. Speaking of that, his tail is finally growing back in nicely. It seemed to have stopped growing back at one point, and I thought maybe it never would. But it’s proceeding nicely now. And another baby showed up with him, resembling Baby Red but not him. Gray with reddish-brown markings.
If they go out at night after dark, they can just pluck him off his perch. Well, at least that is how we used to catch pigeons in the US!
We’ve inadvertently scared some of the pidgees who have stayed over on our balcony, and even though it was dark, they flew away. This happened as recently as last Friday I think it was, when an anonymous gray tried to stay here. I tried to change the water slowly, but it took fright and fled. And when we first discovered pigeon eggs here after coming home from upcountry, at the very beginning of this thread, Little Pidgee flew away despite it being dark, although she did come back soon because of her eggs. They know they just have to go up or down a floor.
I don’t think they would have poisoned Charlie downstairs, because there’s not been a mass disappearance, and you’d think others would be missing too. It’s all very odd.
Did you leave the lights off inside as well? Maybe city pidgees are more likely to fly at night?
No, the ones here generally bed in for the night. If there is a pigeon outside, we’ll usually close the curtains to try to keep from disturbing it. Back in the days when Little Pidgee was nesting on her eggs here, she just had to take our activity, because we liked to watch her, heh. But if we tried to go out and she got disturbed enough, she’d flee.
Charlie’s back! One week after he was last seen. Looks none the worse for wear. Hungry, so I fed him. He’s eating right now. I wonder what happened to him. 
Good for Charlie! Glad he made it back.
And some mysteries are better left unexplored.
He probably just went out for a quick 1,000 mile fly-about.
I wish some pidgee pair would get a nest going again!
Me too! One or two like to lounge around in the flower box for an afternoon snooze, but no one’s been willing to nest in it again. We will be gone for close to a month early next year, re-creating the conditions that persuaded Big and Little Pidgee to move in, so maybe we’ll have a little surprise when we get back.
Another new one has shown up. A male, judging from the size. Has markings very similar to Big Pidgee. A descendant? Head similar to Henry and Ladyboy’s. Speaking of Henry, he’s showing no interest in finding another mate. Could be discouraged from them all dying or disappearing.
Maybe you could preload the balcony with appropriate nest-building materials?
Well, that’s a thought. Maybe drop some twigs around.
Well, actually it looks like this new one may be Henry’s mate. A little large for a female but certainly smaller than Henry. (Everyone is smaller than Henry.) Or maybe Henry’s turned gay. Either way, the new one mentioned above is traveling with Henry, and they always show up together now. Hope he has better luck with this one. Very pretty. Will post photos.
I don’t know where Charlie stays at night now, but he’s here every day again.
Scatter the twigs! Maybe a few pieces of straw, or something similar.
I suspect the most important factor would be to REMOVE the food and water dishes. I’d bet the reason that no one nests there is that there is simply too much traffic to suit a pigeon looking for a nice secluded spot to raise vulnerable chicks.
You’ve turned your balcony from a nursery into the local pub.
Yes, it’s a little pub or community center now. But we can’t chase Henry away. He’s the king. And we’ve cut back on a lot of the feedings now to try and persuade others to go forage. A bit too many again. It would be good if Henry could set up home here when we’re away early next year.
I was cleaning the balcony the other night and found the remnants of a freshly hatched egg. Most of the shell. We don’t know if it fell from above or stuck to a bird’s foot like has happened before.
We’re wondering if Little Squealer is ever going to grow out of squealing. Never saw a pidgee act like this.