Can I tell a pigeon story ? Okay, the story of Mr Bluebar and the 3 hawks:
I'd been watching my # 1 flock of young birds pretty closely and there were several standouts. Oops, forgot to mention that we are talking Birmingham Rollers here. I never liked to move first year birds into the breeding loft, but these birds were tempting. On the day in mind a young bluebar cock was rolling his butt off - rolling on every turn and doing so fast and deep with great control. My mind went, "He's young, but I need to think about stocking that bird." I called the kit in and as they banked for the third time and were just about to hit the landing board death from the air struck. Birds scattered in every direction, and the Cooper's hawk drove the bluebar into the side of my implement shed. He bounced off the shed to the lawn and the Cooper's struck. Instantly a second Cooper's hit the first on the ground. As I rushed over a Goshawk landed and chased both Cooper's away. Young bluebar lay there on his back, and I was lamenting his death. As I reached down to pick up his body, he slowly opened one eye. The rascal was playing dead. Since he was not struck by any of the hawks he had no punctures, and the crash into the shed did not harm him. He was immediately transferred to the breeding loft, and eventually I paired him with The Clapper, but that's another story. This was the story of the naming and stocking of Mr Bluebar.
I can see why that would take the pleasure out of flying.
There are a whole bunch I've got to clean out of the refri that I couldnt bring myself to cook.
