September 18, 2012-The Dove

I have to tell you all about the Mourning Dove. I was sitting in my living room late yesterday afternoon and I caught a movement outside, but not in my total view. I saw a hawk on the ground and feathers were flying all over. It had caught a bird. I picked up my camera to take a picture and the hawk must have seen me and flew away. But he didn't take the bird with him. The poor thing had tried to hide inside the wall but had only got his head in. I could see that it was breathing hard so watched it for a while, hoping the hawk would at least come back and take it. But I never saw the hawk again. So now this poor bird is out there in pain with most of it's back feathers gone. I pondered over the situation for a while and decided I'd try to help it if I could. But it was getting dark and he was way out of my reach. I went and got a curtain rod and extended it out as far as I could. Taped it so it wouldn't come apart then reached out the window with it and I could just reach the bird. I gently made it move and kept prodding it till it got close enough for me to reach with my grabber. It still had a lot of spunk and it's eyes were wide open but he was so scared. I only had a small box but had that ready to put him in. I checked  and I didn't see much blood. But it was in rough shape. Had all it's back end feathers torn out and some on top of it's head were gone. I coverd the box and put it in a warm, dark closet till it calmed down.
After talking to a bunch of rehabbers online on Facebook I decided to try and give it some water so I got it back out after about an hour went by. Got a small syringe that I had from years ago when I hand fed my cockatiel and filled it with pure boiled water. I put rubber gloves on and picked up the bird, holding it's wings together. I dribbled some water in the side of it's beak. Not sure if he swallowed any or not. That's when I noticed it's neck bleeding a lot. He also had blood on one of it's legs. I put a towel in the box for him to lie on and covered him back up for the night. But when I checked him at 6 am he was dead. I was relieved because it would have taken months for him in rehab to get those feathers grown back. Maybe he never would have flown again. So it was for the best. I tried and gave him comfort and warmth for his last hours anyway. If I had left it outside the skunk would have come along and tortured it more before eating it. I just couldn't bare the thought of that.
That was my good deed for the day.

On Sunday evening I finally got all my laundry done. That tired me out. Then on Monday morning I went out at 7 am to get critter food and go to Walmart for a few things.
I have been feeling pretty good for a few days so that's when I have to do things. When I have a back ache or pains in my feet or legs I can't do too much. It's amazing when I do feel good. Just wish it would last.
Monday was a beautiful day. No humidity and about 75 degrees. Today, Tuesday, it's raining and will be all day long. Heavy winds coming by five o'clock.
Last Saturday I finally got to see the other Doe. She's the mom to one of the fawns. I hear they are all hanging in a  group way up in the back woods behind the next door neighbor's house.
We are wondering who will be moving into Ellie's old apartment upstairs. I've heard rumors that it might be the mother to one of the girl's that live upstairs. If that's the case then this place will be going downhill even further. There'd be kids running up those stairs all the time and this woman smokes too and it's right on the same corner as me but up around the corner. I'd be smelling her smoke all the time too, along with all her company's. The smoke is already killing me in this place. I wish they'd pass a law for these Government funded buildings so that no one can smoke in them. It's invading our space and that is not right. I've already given my input on a Facebook page that's trying to get a law passed. I even gave them the landlord's name and address. I don't care if I get in trouble or if the landlord hates me more than he already does. We have rights too!
Today I'm going to relax as best I can. But I know I'll end up doing something. Always something to clean and I have lots more stuff to weed out.
It's my brother, Jim's, 61st birthday today. He finally got all his apartments rented. He called me last week. So I could delete them off Craigslist.
My granddaughter, Salena's, cat is missing. It's been gone for a few days now so I guess it won't be coming back. Now they only have one left. That's the pretty cat that my sister Jane had given them earlier this year. I wish Nina never let them outside. It's bound to happen. They either get hit by cars or poisoned. But I do hope it shows up, for the kid's sake.
Take care everyone.