Babysnatching!

The more I had been watching the Doves the more I became convinced it was Mrs Bullyboy who had died.  She never left her babies for more than a minute and even then only to feed and she would be right back on the nest.  Whenever I looked out this morning there was no parent bird on the nest.  All I could see was a wiggly pink back.  I was becoming more and more concerned about them so I rang The Haven and spoke to the experts.  I was told if in doubt bring them in. 

I marched down the garden with a mixing bowl full of the dog's towels in one hand and a kitchen chair in the other.  After a wobbly experience standing on a chair down there yesterday I wasn't especially looking forward to climbing on one again.  The added difficulty was getting it under the net and into the Doves enclosure.  The net is nailed to great lumps of wood and I had to get one high enough with one hand to shove the chair under it with the other.  It wasn't elegant but at least for once no one was watching.  Luckily I managed to climb up without incident and found two darling little pink babies with their eyes still closed.  They were completely exposed and must have been getting cold so I took them down and put them in the mixing bowl to keep warm.

I would have liked to have kept them and looked after them at home but I don't have the equipment or the experience so I drove the poor little things to The Haven, feeling like a baby snatcher, wondering if I had done the right thing.  I had to take Action Dog with me because she had her sore toe amputated yesterday and I didn't want to leave her alone incase she started chewing her bandages so I had a car full of precious cargo. 

When I arrived at The Haven some 35 mins later they were taken and put in a brooder to keep warm.  It seems they were well fed (oh no..guilt!) but at only about a week old they should have had a parent on them all the time to keep them warm so it seems I had done the right thing taking them in.  Oh relief!  I was told that they had a bit of a rattle in their breathing which could indicate a chest infection and would need some medication.  I do hope they survive, they are such sweet little uglybugs, like little dinosaur babies.  They were even making a little cheeping noise.  I named them Pinky and Perky, it was the first thing which came into my head when I was asked what to call them. 

Action Dog had a great time when we were there.  I had to carry her because she was far too interested in the caged birds on the floor when I put her down plus I was concerned about her dressing getting wet.  I have been told it must stay perfectly dry so I am really paranoid, even putting the hairdryer on her other feet if she has been out in the garden incase they soak her bandage.  She has to wear two sandwich bags and a rubber band over the dressing when she goes outside.  The highlight of her visit (for me not for her cos she wasn't amused) was when Woodie the Collared Dove who loves everyone tried to sit on her head.  Poor little dog, she has had a bad week!  Actually, what a week I have had come to think of it!  Monday I found Mrs Bullyboy dead, Wednesday Action Dog had her operation and now Thursday I had to do a mercy dash to save the babies.  I am not sure I want to get up tomorrow just incase!