Dove release day!

Well the big morning arrived, today was the day to take the net off the Doves!  Typically just as we were about to go out and do it someone arrived wanting the Hairy Hubby's attention so I had to kick my heels for half an hour.  Oh the frustration.

We started by taking off all the logs which were holding the net down then peeled it back so that most of the dovecote was open.  I didn't want to steam right in and just take the whole thing down and scare the birds incase they all flew and never came back because we were so horrible!  One bird flew almost immediately, we had barely walked away and he was off, circling the garden in glee.



Removing the net




Freedom!



It was ages before another one would go.  They all just sat there looking out.  It was nice in a way to think that they were happy there and didn't feel the need to escape.  After a while I decided to put some food down for them to tempt them down to the ground.  Two came down quite quickly and had a fight before flying off.  Eventually there were five of them all flying round the garden together.  It was a lovely sight to see them and also nice to think that they were waiting for each other.  We had a very tense moment when the local Sparrowhawk appeared.  Now I know what they mean when they say 'my heart was in my mouth'  I could barely breath!  He was very close to them so he must have seen them but he didn't make a strike at them.  I think I would have had heart failure on the spot if he had. 

Flying together, such a lovely sight!

This left four still in the Dovecote.  I knew there were three females on eggs so thought they probably wouldn't go anywhere in a hurry but one of the males was sticking with his mate.  Eventually he flew onto the ground and went for a walk about.  It was like he was trying to play it cool saying "I'm really not making a big deal out of this, I'm just having a stroll" before he finally flew upwards.  The surprise was that the rest of the flock appeared from nowhere and he joined them.  It was like they had been waiting for him.  Well actually they must have been.  They did a big lap of the garden and flew off, leaving the girls sitting on their eggs.

So now I am playing the waiting game hoping they will all come home after a good fly.  I have put the Haven on alert incase they turn up there because that was the last place they were at.  If they go back home to Happisburgh where they came from originally I will never see them again.  I did see two of them fly over the garden about half an hour after they went but I was indoors so couldn't see if the others were about.  I just hope they are all together.  Mind you the girls are all sitting there waiting too!

Update on Pinky and Perky

The news is that the little babies from yesterday are doing OK keeping warm in their brooder at the Haven.  They must have been very cold because it took them ages to digest the seed in their crops but had some supper before bed and "took it like pro's" I am told.  I'm just so glad I had somewhere to take them.  I know this sort of thing will happen again if I am going to let my birds breed occasionally so I am now on the lookout for a cheap secondhand brooder.  It may be an impossible thing to find, I don't know yet.  All they have on EBay are new ones at £250 so not really within budget!



Happiness is a warm bed and a full tummy!