Bill

Sometimes blips just turn up on your doorstep! The doorbell rang at about 9am this morning, and I answered, assuming it would be the postman. I opened the door to find a neighbour standing there with her daughter, who was clutching a young pigeon. Apparently it had been in their garden for a couple of days, and didn't seem able to fly. It's surprising that it had survived at all, as we have a regular fox as well as many cats in the vicinity.

We seem to have acquired a reputation as carers for orphaned wildlife. Over the years we have rescued or been brought a variety of creatures, mostly young birds, which we have cared for with varying degrees oif success. Baby hedgehogs and pigeons have probably been the most frequent, but we have also successfully raised and released a pair of orphan ducklings (Dibble and Dabble), a long-tailed tit which had been caught by a cat (Pan) and a young jay (TJ), which was perhaps the most demanding of our charges.

The flightless pigeon has been named Bill (though we have no idea what sex it is) and has been temporarily installed in a large vivarium in the living room. We can't see any obvious injuries, and it seems quite feisty so it may well survive. However, we are always prepared for the worst.

It has very beautiful grey eyes, and soft-pinkish beige feathers around its neck. The shape of the bil, the lack of a white patch on the neck and the fact that it is growing new feathers on its head all show that it has only recently fledged. I shall keep you posted of its progress.