Pepper's Perch

     Who'd've thunken that one little tiny four-ounce critter could have such a wonderful impact on a person's life. When I first saw Pepper, he was a tiny, soggy, flightless furball of a pigeon about to be killed by a loose dog on the Hike and Bike Trail. Of course,  I leapt like a madman (madchic?) to save the pigeon. Pepper was the first pigeon that I rescued.

     Just days before, I'd seen another attack in which I was unable to save the pigeon. A woman who regularly rides the Hike and Bike trails lets her four out-of-control dogs run loose. The dogs, hunters by instinct, have been responsible for numerous deaths, including baby doves, grackles, a green heron, and a young domestic duck. The woman, unfortunately, did not care about her own dogs or the wildlife that she was destroying.

     That day I couldn't get to the baby pigeon in time. The dog had already bitten it and the marks of the sharp incisors caused the blood to seep through two large holes. The baby tried to flap his wings as young pigeons do when calling for Mom. As he struggled, blood began to leak through the gaping wounds. The baby pigeon craned his neck on the ground and opened his now crooked beak to gasp for one last breath. Then he laid down his head and died.

     I cried and cried over that senseless death caused by a careless and thoughtless dog owner. Perhaps that is why when I first saw Pepper, I leapt so quickly to his defense.

     It was pouring down rain and young Pepper was shivering. I watched the pigeons closely to see if any adult pigeon would claim Pepper; none did. Pepper, for some reason, was abandoned and left alone to die. I picked up Pepper carefully and sheltered him from the rain as I walked to my car. I gently dried him off and took him home to a warm environment. He was old enough to eat and drink on his own, which made his rescue much easier!

     Pepper spent the night in a large box with a towel, a large, clean limestone rock, and plenty of food and drink. The next morning I bought him a large cage where he could spend the nights. I bought the cage just in time: when I returned from PetSmart, curious Pepper had hopped out of the box and was looking around! During the day he roamed freely in a protected room and I brought him outside a few times a day where he could eat and play. He couldn't fly and he was surprisingly trusting and easy to handle.

     After eight days of protection, Pepper had learned to fly well enough to be released. He had eaten well and was looking as handsome as any pigeon I'd ever met! We brought Pepper back to the place he was born and released him amongst the other pigeons as we fed them generously.

     I observed Pepper closely for the next several days. He was a little nervous at first, but quickly joined the other pigeons in the feeding frenzy. I was happy to see Pepper fly up to the bridge to roost. I continue to see Pepper every time I feed the pigeons (and, yes, I always throw extra bread in his direction!), and I can say with confidence that he's one handsome, healthy pigeon!

                                      

  Pepper enjoys watching TV

     I am grateful for the time I got to spend with Pepper. He was a delightful companion. One day I was sitting on my bed crying for a baby pigeon (Peeper) whom I was unable to save, and Pepper came and sat right next to me on the bed to console me! He was irresistibly cute. Pepper's favorite hobbies were watching TV and playing hide-and-seek with me. Because Pepper was so talkative, though, he was always easy to find. Even when I couldn't see him, I could hear his sweet little baby pigeon
voice.

     So next time you're at the Hike and Bike Trail, please stop by and say hello to sweet Pepper Pigeon.

Pepper Pigeon

Releasing Pepper

Pepper (left) mixes well with the other pigeons