I love that picture.

And there's me COVERING the grass up! I'll uncover a bit of it (covered with bark at the moment) and see if it regrows.

I've just been shopping for them (gawd, they are costing me a fortune ) and bought a brilliant flat square basket thing which is supposed to hang up full of large peanuts, but I've stuffed it with their greens which means they can peck at it and pull them through or just break of little bits and it lays flat on the ground.

They've also got some pigeon grit and a thing with what looks like grit packed tightly in a pot but apparently gives them nutrients. All specifically for pigeons.

If Janet can email me the pic I'll upload it. My hair wants recolouring and cutting badly, but I don't mind looking a mess amongst friends.

har har de har!

That was cute, Janet.

I love this picture of Wendy when Pip had just joined Tweaty in the aviary for the first time. She decided bribery was the best action to get them to sit near each other and break the ice. Amazing what they'll do for watercress!!



After seeing how Pip's plumage had improved today, I thought I'd post a picure of how she looked when she first came to me.



Amazing how she looks now after some tlc....

Great job Wendy.

Great pictures. I didn't realize that Wood Pigeons are so big.

Hey Wendy,
How are things going with Tweaty and Pip, the adorable duo?

Hi everyone!

I thought I could hear my ears burning

I'm SO SORRY for not being on here much lately. I've had a workload like nothing on earth and then my blinking computer blew up (literally..!). It also ruined two monitors and a new power supply unit. We've since found out there have been power surges in the village so now I've got a surge protector on my new computer. Thankfully, in the end (it took a good couple of weeks) I managed to get everything taken from the old computer and put on the new one.

I couldn't remember Janet's contact details (all stored on my old Outlook) and also couldn't remember the URL for this website - but managed to find it again after a good Google search. It's so debilitating and I've learned my lesson to back absolutely everything up in future. I felt so helpless and a bit scared actually as everything for my business was also on the computer. It's set me back rather a lot, but I've been working hard and have nearly caught up now.

Tweaty and Pip are doing wonderfully well still. Tweaty is feeding himself 100% at long last and Pip's plumage has almost replaced itself now and she's looking gorgeous - so different to the pic Janet has posted. I find it very difficult to tell the two of them apart now. They have both got their neck rings and Pip's favourite food is warm sweetcorn which she gets first thing in the morning to warm her belly and last thing at night. Tweaty is less enthusiastic, but still likes it. They both love to demolish spinach leaves if I hold them for them to peck.

I throw the old seed out every day onto the grass outside their aviary and all the local Woodies come down and feed. One juvenile even sits on the top of the aviary most of the day - it's that half-tame one I sorted out a while ago - and I feel like inviting him in!

I don't think, if I'm honest, that Tweaty and Pip are absolute buddies at the moment. They tolerate each other which makes me think they may both be males. They are certainly the same colour and a bit of research has told me you can tell the sex by the colour of their chest feathers. We'll give it a bit more time.

If one comes near the other they do their goose neck impressions, but I do get them sat on either of my shoulders quite happily. Pip makes me laugh as she (he?) tends to go to bed about half past three and when I try and pet her, she dobbs me one on the hand! Tweaty's started copying her. They never fight with each other though which is good.

I've just covered the floor of their aviary in fallen leaves and they love forraging for food in them all.

I'll try and get some photos over the next few days and apologies again for my absence.
Wend
x

Hi Wendy,

Thank you for a great update! I can just see Tweety and Pip doing the goose-neck at each other. Despite the fact that they are not best buddies I know that they appreciate the company of another woodie.

It sounds as if Pip found exactly the right place with you!

I must have a look at the breast feathers of my lot, and at their heads, to see if I can find something that indicates gender. It wasn't until this year, four years after her arrival, that we were able to determine that Littlewood is a hen, and that is because she layed eggs!

I am so glad that you didn't lose everything with your computer, I am very lazy about backup and lost some irreplaceable videos a few years ago. And I still haven't learnt my lesson.

Hi Wendy,

Great to hear from you and the news on Tweaty and Pip.

I wonder if the youngster who visits is more aware of their gender and has got 'her' eye on one of them !!

I get two very distinct colours in the garden. Some are the lightest shade of almost sky blue on the backs with very pretty pinkish chests. The others are very autumnal, quite browny on the back with a deep almost bronze chest. I wondered if this was due to age at one time but one I unfortunately lost last week with canker wasn't young but was the lighter of the two shades.

I wonder how we can tell what Tweaty and Pip are ! May have to keep an eye on how they react to the visitors around.

So glad they're living well together even if not in love.

Sorry about the computer problems. I'll send you my details again in case so you need them.

Love to the 'boys'

Janet