For anyone who read my post about Monday, the Feather Footed Dove who ‘adopted’ us at the start of August, you’ll be pleased to know her adventure has today had a very happy ending. If you missed it, catch up with the story at the dove who came to tea.
After a week of detective work on local Facebook pages and at stately homes, Monday still seemed to be an orphan. She was clearly getting weaker and needed more care than we could give since she wouldn’t allow herself to be caught.
A neighbour suggested seeking advice from the village lollipop man, Ronnie, who used to keep racing Pigeons. We called in to see him this evening and it turns out he recently rescued a small flock of Feather Footed Doves, three of whom went off on their own wild adventure a few weeks ago. Monday was one of the intrepid explorers!
Ronnie lent us a net, some pigeon corn and a box carrier and within minutes Caroline was up on our garage roof, net in hand.
With the right tools for the job Monday was easy to catch and she delighted Caroline with a heart-shaped chest display to show her gratitude for Caroline’s (and her friends’) care and attention.
We were over the moon to have found Monday’s home and owner, and Ronnie was just as thrilled to have her back. As was her mate who had waited hopefully for her return!
Ronnie named the bird after Caroline, in her honour. He told us he was in remission from cancer too, and the birds were a kind of therapy, so we had lots in common, and have become new friends.
Ronnie kindly offered to let Caroline pop round to visit Monday/Caroline any time. And we know where to go if we want to properly own some doves in future.
Caroline and Ronnie happily reuniting Monday to her flock
Don’t you just love a happy ending!!
Read about Caroline’s cancer journey at Caroline’s Rainbow and we wish Ronnie all the best for his continued recovery too.
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What a lovely story! So glad it has all worked out, and what a lovely experience for Caroline!
It’s been lovely but a real relief we’ve found her owner because she was getting weaker and we knew we couldn’t set up the right home for her in our rented house. Caroline’s loved it!
What a lovely experience for Caroline! She looks so pleased to have been able to help 🙂
She’s in seventh heaven when anything involves looking after wild creatures, whether it’s a snail or a bird!
What a wonderful story filled with so many happy coincidences. Caroline looks thrilled to have saved the little dove and been able to return him. She is looking stronger herself too and look at that lovely wavy hair growing so fast now too! #CountryKids
Serendipity for sure! We’d love to have kept Monday but didn’t know how to look after her properly, and Ronnie must have been missing her too so everyone had a happy ending. Perfect! And yes, Caroline continues to go from strength to strength.
That is such a lovely story to read, and well done to Caroline for catching the dove in the end. #countrykids
Caroline was so proud to catch the dove, and as usual made the whole thing into a mini adventure! Love her wild spirit. Thanks for dropping by
Wow Caroline was very brave getting up on the roof and how fab that she has made friends with Ronnie. Mich x #CountryKids
I know, she loves anything that’s mildly dangerous!! And animal-orientated of course. We’re looking forward to visiting Ronnie this week too.
Lovely and fun story for Caroline to look back on when she’s older. ‘So you remember Monday the pigeon?” Great fun and how lovely that she could be reunited with her owner. #countrykids
It certainly is, and of course she now wants her own doves when we ever get our own garden. It’s going to have to be a country mansion at this rate!
What a heartwarming story. I’m glad the dove is safe and well #countrykids
Us too. It was a great learning experience for the future. Thanks for reading
So glad that Monday’s story has a happy ending and it sounds like you’ve all made a new friend in the process too. I love how happy Caroline looks in the photo where she is holding Monday and well done to her for managing to catch Monday too. #countrykids
Thanks Louise, the whole thing has also reminded me that I need to be blogging more about the little things in life that happen – we nearly didn’t write the original post but are so glad we did now it’s ended so well. Thanks for letting me host #CountryKids with you. Hopefully we’ll encourage even more people to get outdoors more!
Oh that lovely! You must live in a very close knit community. Hope Monday is back to full strength, great catching skills x #CountryKids
Caroline was a dab hand with the net! And yes, there are some fab families on our road. Thanks for dropping by
So great you were able to find the owner. I bet you will be round to visit Monday quite a few times. #countrykids
We’ll definitely be keeping an eye on our little foster dove and it was such a pleasure to reunite her with her flock and owner!! Thanks for reading
Glad you rotund the owner!
We are in the same position. A pair came to tea and stayed. We fed and watered them as they flew off each day and returned at night. I put mite powder in their water which sorted the bare patches and they healed well. After realising they were roosting under our solar panels we took steps to cage the panels because they were damaging them. We were advised to stop feeding as they told their friends and we were bombarded by 18 doves which became difficult!
No one knows who they belonged to. In bad weather they mope about looking for food and picking at grass seeds. The two original ones run to us for food when it has been hot or windy / wet and they will not leave
They even hatched an egg so now there are three that think we own them!
Torn between feeding when they look desperate and ignoring them we know that buying a dovecote will encourage a flock to breed.
They are now sitting on our window sills looking in!
Feel really mean when we ignore them, but know they want to be on our roof.
A difficult position for a nature lover married to a practical person.