Hello from Bangkok!

Well, we just finished our rainy season, and everything was getting wet. The bags of seed we buy have expiration dates on them, the ones we have now saying they were produced in July and good for a year.

Meanwhile, not much on the pigeon front over here. Very little feeding now, as even when Henry is here, he gets overwhelmed by all the others most of the time. We manage to feed him when not too many are around; rare now when he can be here alone or just with Maggie, as the others seem to have learned he's the key to the food. We leave out water, and a few use the place as a daytime community center. One young one really likes sleeping in the flower box in the mornings. One or two take baths in the water dish. Big Eyes will chase any pigeon out of "his spot" in the tree pot we call the "living room" regardless of whether he himself wants to use it. But no one wants to stay here over night now.

Ladyboy was here alone yesterday, so I did feed him a little. After a while, Big Eyes showed up, so I relented and fed him a little, too. But the cutting back does seem to be thinning out the pigeon flock to a more manageable level most of the time.

The one named Som has left, but we don't suspect anything untoward. That one was only here briefly. I promise to do photos sometime in the near future.

As always, your updates are so appreciated, Sam.
Any sign of Scruffy?

I'm glad Henry and Maggie are doing well.

Not much new. Our balcony has become a pigeon community center, a bit reminiscent of the dog cafe in the Pooch Cafe comic strip. We'll feed Henry and a select couple of others, such as his son Ladyboy, if not too many are around. If there are, we'll close the curtains, and Henry knows that means no food, and he'll go away. But if he's really hungry, he'll jump in the window anyway -- we can hear him and see his little shadow -- so we'll try to put out a little.

Maggie has not been around for about two weeks, but she's disappeared for weeks on end before, and we're hoping it's just another case of that. I'm afraid Junior, Moe and Scruffy have probably all kicked the bucket somewhere. Everyone else appears healthy. And there are a few new ones around, including a dark one with glowing orange eyes. A small new gray who loves to soak in the water dish. One we call Brownie, due to a brown streak across an otherwise-normal gray body, has been having sex with a large gray in the designated sex area. How is it they all pick about the same spot on the floor?

Hi Sam,
It's good to hear from you. Thanks for the update.
I'm glad to hear all seems to be going well.


To Junior, Moe and Scruffy, wherever you are . . .

The long-promised photos. Just a few. I hadn't realized I'd been saving them on my camera for three months now! Some pidgees have come and gone in the interim.

Two pidgees. I believe that's Moe on the left and Joey asleep on the right. Both gone now.

Henry and Junior eating. That's on September 21. Junior seemed sick 22 days later and disappeared suddenly. RIP, Junior. :(

Ladyboy in the Living Room. This is on September 26, exactly two weeks after he first appeared. An obvious Henry offspring. Very smooth and elegant, we initially thought he was female and called him Sweetie. But he soon started exhibiting male behavior -- puffing out his neck and doing the Angry Dance at other pidgees. But very feminine-looking. So he's been Ladyboy ever since.

Ladyboy on October 5.

Max on October 8. Beautifully marbled. He disappeared shortly after Junior did, as well as seeming a little ill himself, although much less so than Junior.

Ladyboy trying out the flower box.

Som on November 4. The word som is Thai for "orange," and you can see a small orange streak mid-wing. (No, that's not the dirty window.) She stayed around only a couple of days or so. We don't suspect anything untoward happened to her.

The elegant Ladyboy takes a meal, November 19.

And that's all the photos for now. Meanwhile, Henry comes to eat every day. He had something like an eight-day absence two months ago, and we feared the worst. but then he started showing up every day again. Maggie has been gone three weeks now, but she's disappeared before. This is about as long as she's been gone in the past, so we hope she shows back up soon. Ladyboy is a regular fixture, too. As is Big Eyes, a small gray male. One of the two Pretty Ones is still mourning the loss of his mate Scruffy but acts mean towards the others. Worse, one we call the Dark One is a complete and total bully, and we have to chase him away. In fact, to allow Henry eat in peace, we often have to stand guard while he eats, chasing away the Dark One, Evil Gray and that one Pretty One, because they'll try to bully Henry. And Henry seems to know we're helping him. While the others take flight, he stays. Still won't let us touch him, though.

I so enjoyed the pictures, Sam. for sharing them with us.
They definitely all look like they are relation to Henry.
The picture of Henry and Junior look like twins.

Have Junior, Moe or Scruffy ever come back home?

I really enjoyed the photos, Siam Sam, and Ladyboy really is very handsome! His markings are similar to those of a beautiful feral I often see at the local park -- I called him Bling! I've been finding that most of the ferals with really striking colours and patterns are male.

I still hope that Junior, Moe and Scruffy are alright somewhere, but if not, may they be at peace in a beter place.

I have no idea why your pigeons have a designated sex area... ... but here's a suggestion: how about calling it The Moulin Rouge? It gives it a certain je ne sais quoi...

Teresa wrote:

I really enjoyed the photos, Siam Sam, and Ladyboy really is very handsome! His markings are similar to those of a beautiful feral I often see at the local park -- I called him Bling! I've been finding that most of the ferals with really striking colours and patterns are male.

I still hope that Junior, Moe and Scruffy are alright somewhere, but if not, may they be at peace in a beter place.

I have no idea why your pigeons have a designated sex area...
... but here's a suggestion: how about calling it The Moulin Rouge?
It gives it a certain je ne sais quoi...

Teresa wrote:

I have no idea why your pigeons have a designated sex area... ... but here's a suggestion: how about calling it The Moulin Rouge? It gives it a certain je ne sais quoi...

Hehe.

No further sign of Junior, Scruffy or Max. (I think I said Moe in the past when I meant Max.) For Junior, it's been a full two months just about, and he seemed very sick when we last saw him. No further sign of Maggie, and it's been more than three weeks.

I will continue to send positive thoughts that Maggie is OK.

Me too!

There's been a startling development over here. Ladyboy, whom we determined to be male following his angry dances and neck puffing, decidedly male characteristics, has started having sex with The Pretty One, the widower who lost his beloved Scruffy! Ladyboy first showed up exactly three months ago this past Sunday, and we figure he/she is between four and five months old. Must just now becoming sexually active. But Ladyboy seems to be the one instigating the relationship, preening Pretty One's head and crouching down low as if to say: "Come and get it, big boy!" The wife was startled yesterday to see them kissing and then doing the deed -- in the designated sex area, of course. They must like it there because it's out in the open and no pots or water dishes nearby to get in the way. And I've noticed Ladyboy is staying close to Scruffy today (Tuesday) too. Could Ladyboy be a lady after all? Or is he really a ladyboy in true Thai style, and he's fooled The Pretty One?

Still no sign of Maggie. Been four weeks now.

It sounds to me as though Ladyboy is a girl. I noticed two of my females 'posture' like males sometimes, and Charis confirmed they can mimic the males very convincingly. You'll know for sure if you see any eggs!

I'm sorry Maggie has been nowhere in sight... I hope she's alright somewhere.

Woo Hoo! And Maggie's back. After four weeks. Just found her out there kissing Henry.

Siam Sam wrote:

Woo Hoo! And Maggie's back. After four weeks. Just found her out there kissing Henry.

I'm so glad Maggie's back.
That is the best news, Sam. Appreciate the update.

Wednesday morning, and Henry and Maggie are both out there eating right now. Henry's always more forceful about keeping other pidgies away too when he's with Maggie. When he's alone, he's sometimes a bit timid.

Maggie keeps disappearing for three or four weeks at a time. My theory is maybe she just stays on the nest full time once she lays eggs? Then when the squabs are grown, she leaves? But she'd have to eat sometime. Dunno.

Your theory about Maggie seems quite possible, Sam.
Perhaps she has a 'semi' food source near her nest.

Whatever the answer, they're inseparable again. Keep stopping by for food together and to "do the deed" in the designated sex area. And Maggie eats A LOT.

It's official too that Ladyboy and The Pretty One are an item. They seem inseparable themselves now. Sadly, that means Ladyboy is now off following her new hubby around most of the time instead of hanging out here. Fed them a couple of times this morning, though. I guess The Pretty One has gotten over Scruffy.

And here's a good article:

http://www.bbcwildlifemagazine.com/british-wildlife/feral-pigeon-flying-rat-or-urban-hero

If Maggie was raising a couple babies, they are probably grown now since she and Henry are back together non-stop.

Thanks for sharing the article, Sam.

The article is very interesting, Sam. It's funny that both you and Charis posted a link to it -- don't they say great minds think alike?

Here's a thought about Maggie's absence: it could well be that Henry is feeding her. I've seen that with Piper and Hercules -- she spends most of the time on the nest, and then begs him for food. That way she doesn't have to get out to eat much.
Another possibility is that someone nearby is giving her food. A few years ago I had two couples nesting on the rain guttering of my annexe roof, clearly visible from my balcony window. With a bit of practice, I learned to throw moist bread to within a couple of centimetres of the nesting parent's beak... They appreciated the extra food, and I gained a skill which makes me extremely dangerous when armed with an over-ripe tomato...

Teresa wrote:

The article is very interesting, Sam. It's funny that both you and Charis posted a link to it -- don't they say great minds think alike?

* Here's a thought about Maggie's absence: it could well be that Henry is feeding her. I've seen that with Piper and Hercules -- she spends most of the time on the nest, and then begs him for food. That way she doesn't have to get out to eat much.

Another possibility is that someone nearby is giving her food.

A few years ago I had two couples nesting on the rain guttering of my annexe roof, clearly visible from my balcony window.

** With a bit of practice, I learned to throw moist bread to within a couple of centimetres of the nesting parent's beak...
They appreciated the extra food, and I gained a skill which makes me extremely dangerous when armed with an over-ripe tomato...

* That's very interesting, Teresa. Hadn't thought of that.

**

Henry and Maggie are showing up regularly again several times a day to ask for food. Henry will jump up in the window, Maggie will stand and stare intently like she's trying to hypnotize us. She showed up alone early this morning and just stood and stared and stared until I fed her. Then they both came by several times later. And they're going at it like teenagers again. I suspect Maggie will be disappearing in a couple of weeks.

And we've even had a mynah bird or two checking us out. Very nervous guys. Can't get a photo without scaring them away.

It's great to know they're both coming over -- it's always such a pleasure to see old friends!

Mynah birds are cool! We don't get any around here. Apart from the pigeons, I get to see collared doves and magpies sometimes, and lots of sparrows and seagulls.

Thanks for the update, Sam.
I'm glad that Henry and Maggie and doing so well.