Hello Again,
I hope to catch up and take part in other postings soon but I know Ashlady said that she would be back online today and its been a few days since I gave some news on Lucky.


I have decided to spend some extra time with him before I release him/her on Sunday as planned as just maybe though I have got Lucky better, I perhaps have left him on his own too much and I do know that he likes affection(probably because they usually stay in pairs when in the wild)


Its just that he sits in a kind of alcove looking down on me and the room and though he is not nervous about being approached or handled. I have to get a pair of step ladders to reach him and I am not steady on my feet. I had a slight accident on Saturday night and only now am I am able to get about as before which isn't great but for the last few days that hasn't been possible and I have been in some pain.

It is true to say that if I stroke him for a while and talk a bit, he does eat and drink more. And he does get more perky. I don't want a depressed bird.


As far as I can see he is putting on the weight and getting built up, his plummage is looking as though it has more volume and I think he is only missing a very small patch of feathers to the side of his breast under one wing and when I held him last night he did seem to be warm so by the weekend I guess he'll be fine. In one way I'll be sad to see him go, on the other hand happy that he may have a life returned and I hope fulfill what he may not have had originally been caught. Should that happen again, well, I will not know and I've done my best to get him ready for a Winter which they say will be pretty bad. He stands as good chance as any of his kind already out there.


I have not noticed the Hawk back in the last 8 days since I saved him and a few minutes ago I had 6 doves in the garden and even now there is one sitting in a tree.

The Hawk may be around but I will as far as possible have a good look before I release Lucky so he at least gets to fly when released.


Sadly there is less protection for any bird that visits the garden as apart from the three conifers all the leaves have fallen off the other trees and shrubs so I hope the new shrubs when planted and if they grow reasonably quickly they will offer variety and protection.


Gildy xx

Hi there Gildy, I've been able to nip on from work, specifically to check on Lucky and am thrilled that he is still with us Sorry to hear that you had an accident and haven't been up to much for a little while, I hope all is better or at least very much on its way there.

I have some devastating news (for me and 'my' birds at least) I have noticed a couple of visitors are showing signs of salmonella / ecoli and am extremely worried for the others as it apparently spreads very easily. This occurs as a result of people not clearing away uneaten food and then not cleaning / disinfecting the feeding stations either properly or at all. We now have the task of trying to catch the sick birds and taking them to the vets to be PTS.

Needless to say I am paranoid and spend hours with my eyes stuck in the back of my bins inspecting as many visitors as I can and I am now disinfecting four tube feeders, one peanut feeder, two tables and two ground feeders EVERY DAY (and obviously the ground beneath all)

My home computer still isn't healthy enough to come and play so I'm not going to be around that much (not that I have time at the moment)

I wish you the very best with Lucky, I'll keep popping in to check he's doing OK and if there are any markings that you will remember, do so, as Milly (Dr Dolittle lady) says that he will stay very close to your garden once you've set him free - looks like you have adopted a Dove Gildy, so you're lucky too

xx

Might catch you whilst you are still around...

Remember Uncle Rupe, she keeps hoping that Lucky will return and adopt me so funny that you should say that...just hope that doesn't mean you know who gets him again...

Sorry to hear of the problem finding its way through your visitors when you take such care. You know if the birds take ill in other gardens neighbours will wrongly think its Bird Flu when it isn't. I do hope when Oddie returns he puts people's minds at rest about the Flu and explains how important it is to keep everything as clean as possible.

I caught Lucky by chance and even shocked he initially struggled to get away. So the liklihood of saving another may be slim. So the fact that you managed to get those that are ill in your garden and save them must take some doing.

I hope word gets out about keeping feeders/bird baths clean.

It seems one aspect of bird feeding that is forgotten about. I have ordered some extra feed in so I hope I have enough to take me into Spring. Someone said it can cost about £200 a year to do this interest. I think in six months I've spent that already...so it better last

Take Care(and when you can...let us know how your problem goes)

Hope you get your laptop repaired soon.

Gildy x

PS I've just ordered a new external 250gb hard drive(supposed to arrive 7th November onwards)it arrived today and the other day I got myself a second DVD/CD burner and I still would like a laptop but don't really know what to buy.I wish to buy things while I can as often I have to make things last and am never sure if I can afford to wait too long in case the money has disappeared.

No information on Lucky and then lots

I went out and climbed the stepladders and stroked him...after awhile he seemed to be getting worried so I thought I better stop. What did he do, he flew down to the ground and drank and ate some food(so it looks as though its like I said)contact perks him up and has a good effect on him.

After eating Lucky walked about, then spread his wings and excericised his wings. Then walked past me and ate more food and then flew back into one his alcoves where he preened his feathers.

He's flying with ease and looks well, he still has that little bald patch about the size of a 1p piece but in the same area when he lifts his wing there is a patch that is black about the size of a 10p piece(wonder if its the equivelent of a scab like we would have when wounded)but as yet no sign of any feathers coming back there.

He doesn't seem bothered by it or in pain by his behaviour. Just don't know whether to give him longer in my care or still make this Sunday my release day.

Still, that's 5 days away and alot can happen in five days...

Gildy

Hi Gildy,

Glad Lucky is still improving day by day So you have decided to release him on Sunday have you, I bet you will both miss each other when he finally flies the nest so to speak I'm glad the nasty sparrowhawk hasn't been back again

Hi Gildy,

I've been trying to catch up with reading about Lucky and it's been one of those afternoons when I've had phone calls and a visitor, so this will be a short note for the moment

So pleased that Lucky is doing so well, what a kind guy you are to keep him company
It's so unfair that you have hurt yourself After being so kind and doing your best.

Sending you and Lucky get well soon thoughts

Chris x

Thanks Chris,

Unfortunately, I have spotted another problem(Oh No...not another one)this house has been up for at least 50 years and when I was looking at Lucky I took a look at a few of the wooden beams that are in the outhouse and we might have or have had...what I think is woodworm. I can see the little pinhole marks associated with that insect.

So as I understand treatment is not good for pets and humans, when I let Lucky go next week...if all is well, I will ask our gardener who is a bit of a handy man whether he can treat the wood for us. I have banged on them and they still sound and feel quite solid but I looked up treatment on the net and a council site does say that often the damage is done by the time that you see it.

Or equally, they can disappear as quickly as they arrive. As for moisture in the room, its not a problem as I have a radiator in there that I usually leave on in Winter months. Though we did have a flood some time ago caused by neighbours allowing water to miss the drain that we share and the water bounced back onto our outhouse wall causing the water to soak into the brickwork so much it couldn't cope. They have corrected the problem.

The only thing to be affected we have our fridge in there and it won't be easy to move. Other than that the room is empty as I can soon move my bird food supplies if I have to, it is all protected in plastic bins anyhow. I could call the council in but if we can do it ourselves, I'd rather do so.


Always something to think about...

Gildy x

Oh Gildy...

Isn't it just always the way, never rains but it pours

But then perhaps because of Lucky you've discovered the problem sooner than you may have done?

You really have to pat yourself on the back for doing so well with Lucky

How are you feeling now?

Better I hope,

Be back later......
Chris x

Hi Gildy,

Another fallen Greenfinch was found yesterday afternoon on my return home from work (my second in as many weeks) He is on his way to the Department of Vet Pathology at Liverpool University, so I will know more in a few days about what is making ‘my’ friends so sick.

The lady I spoke to there said that they are having a quite a few reported deaths of (particularly) Greenfinches and Collared doves at the moment and it is not uncommon for this time of year, so it appears I am not alone. I can do no more, but feel so desperately helpless.

As for Lily Laptop, she really is quite low down on my worry list at the moment, but hopefully I will be back soon

Thanks Mango and good to hear from you Ashlady,

Sorry about the new casualty in your garden. I hope its something less worrying causing the problem and that's its a natural problem rather than a disease of any kind.

I can understand the laptop being low on the priority list and there may be many other things ahead.

I can report Lucky is even more lively and at ease in my company. I noticed that in his alcove that he had left a rather large message and expected if I tried to clear it away he might fly down because he was worried by me working on the problem

But he just moved over slightly to allow me to deal with the problem and stayed put

I'll make a good job of the cleaning up in a few minutes time.

Gildy x