There was more than a flutter of panic around the old Garda station yard on Killarney Road this morning.
A handsome looking ringed racing pigeon was strutting around in search of food and water and found the neighbours most caring and hospitable. You could say they were for the birds – but in the best possible way.
Concern for the Bird
Mary O’Connor from Castleisland Carpets and former publican, Mary Brennan were to the fore in the local concern for the bird and provided it with its requirements.
Because the bird showed no signs of flying away – or flying anywhere and sticking to pacing around the yard, the women feared that any of the local enterprising cats might pounce if they spied him from their choice of hot tin roofs.
A Miraculous Escape
At one stage it ventured out onto the road and had a miraculous escape as a huge truck passed right over it. It regained its composure with only a feather or two out of place.
It is, apparently, a common occurrence for racing pigeons to land mid race, for a short rest, to have a drink and some food.
Racing pigeons can eat bird seed, uncooked rice or lentils – but not bread. Water should be given to them in a deep dish.
Stopping for a While
Most racing pigeons will then continue their journey home after stopping for a short while and removing the food and water may help to encourage them to fly home.
If you have found or are worried about a lost racing pigeon, first check if it has a number on its wing – by opening it to see if there is a name, address or telephone number stamped on one or more feathers.
Leg Ring Numbers
If the pigeon has a leg ring, take note of the number and the prefix to report it as lost. The Killarney Road pigeon has rings on both legs with numbers on one.
The latest is that it flew up onto the roof of a nearby shed after taking sustenance on board and none of the cats in the area heard about it until it was well aloof.
It has plenty bird seed mix and water and is being well looked after and it’s likely to continue its journey any minute or hour now. The bird has a yellow and a red ring on its right leg and a green ring on its left leg. The red ring is inscribed with letters and the numbers: 18200.
The Maine Valley Post has, is and always will be a free resource for the people of the locality and its wider diaspora.
When we started in 2013, the intention was to be a weekly, online newsletter. Over time, the site has evolved into a much different beast with multiple updates on a daily basis.
Because of its nature as a digital publication, it brings with it certain expenses: computers and cameras that require updating and maintenance; internet hosting and access; to say nothing of the time and hard work that goes into the site. It all adds up…
Our online community has always been our greatest asset and a vocal supporter of the Maine Valley Post since day one.
Please take a moment to click on the link below to see how you can directly contribute to our continued growth and success. Thank you for taking the time……..John Reidy
