Phil The Pigeon of Crooked Stick Cottage

Phil The Pigeon

(Spring 2007-August 9, 2010)

Phil, a Crooked Stick Cottage family member died this afternoon. We will miss his cooing greetings and charming personality.

One day a girlfriend, Diane, called from Cypress. She said that she had found a baby "dove." I told her to leave it alone that his parents were nearby and they would figure it out.

Diane said, "no" parents were around and she had seen him fly into a window. She felt he needed to come see me. I asked her how she knew it was a dove since baby doves and pigeons look similar to the novice birder. Diane said it was most certainly a dove. She drove an hour in traffic and arrived with her treasure. I opened the box and looked into the face of a baby pigeon. Diane started to argue with me and I said, "you just drove this bird over to me and now you are arguing with me?"

And that is how Phil the Pigeon became part of Crooked Stick Cottage.

John liked him immediately and named the little guy. He was still fuzzy and not fully feathered yet. But Phil feathered quickly into a handsome grey pigeon. He learned how to perch. And quickly learned his name. He enjoyed his home on a granite counter between the kitchen and the dining room. From his perch he could see the front door, living room and dining room through the kitchen to the family room. He had an unobstructed view of the backyard and the city lights. There wasn't much going on at Crooked Stick Cottage that Phil couldn't see.

About two years later, Phil got a next door neighbor, Berkeley. They were as different as night and day. Berkeley arrived on Father's Day 2009 and was a sight to be hold. A black ragamuffin with avian pox he was a mess. (Avian pox is only contagious to specific bird species which means a crow will only catch avian pox from another crow not a pigeon or a human). Phil was neat and tidy and made a sweet cooing sound every morning. He didn't think much of his neighbor at first. Berkeley made a caaaing sound that made poor Phil jump the first couple of times he heard it. Berkeley washed all his food off in his drinking water before eating. Phil only ate seeds and drank water. Phil was happy to sit on the entry bar of his cage door while Berkeley enjoyed jumping off his cage door and walking around the house. Yes, they were as different as any two can be. But over the year they became neighborly. Friendly like. Sleeping on the same side of their respective cages.

A couple of months ago Phil got what looked like a swollen eye. We took him over to Dr. Bart in Corona and got him some antibiotics. We stopped using any pine sol or detergent-like products (which we seldom used) except hypo allergenic anti bacterial soaps in the kitchen. Dr. Bart said Phil might be allergic to one of the products. We took care of his eye and he seemed to recover. Then about a month ago while we had a host of folks staying at the house and much going on Phil started to get the same eye infection and in both eyes. Around the outside of the eye was swollen pinkish and the lids. He sat on his perched puffed up. I put a heating pad around one corner of the cage so he could be warmer if he wanted.

I called Dr. Bart and Monica helped me get the right meds from CVS. Soon Phil was cooing and playful (that was June 26th).

Then a couple of weeks ago Phil started getting the swollen eye (his right eye) again. I called to see if I could get the meds for Phil and after a few attempts we got it going. (Phil's meds for a week were about $80.00).

Suddenly on Tuesday, Phil had blood in his urine. Folks ask me how I know that. If you look at bird poop it should be in a firm circle or ball. It should be a rich green not too dark or too light. Around the the edge of the dark green poop should be white. The white color is urine. Phil had blood in his urine. No mistaking it.

I called Dr. Bart's office on Tuesday. Dr. Bart was on vacation but Monica told me to call Dr. Tom Greek in Yorba Linda. I called Wednesday morning and the office is closed on Wednesdays and Sundays. I decided to stop giving Phil his medicated water and the blood in his urine disappeared by Thursday morning. However, Phil wasn't perkin' up like his usual self. So I made an appointment with Dr. Greek.

Dr. Greek is an excellent vet in Yorba Linda. I would go to him in a heart beat. He took time to observe Phil and asked us questions about him. He gave Phil a shot and said hopefully that should take care of him for about a week. By then Dr. Bart would be back. But he said with the three rounds of antibiotics and shots the only thing left was to start doing blood work and x-rays.

Phil seemed to get a little better....on Saturday morning we heard cooing from downstairs. But Sunday he was puffed up and not perching. He seemed depressed and sad. I took care of all the birds and spent a good part of the day monitoring him.

This morning I tried to call Dr. Bart's office but no one was there. I tried again an hour later...still no answer.

Phil seemed to be losing his balance. His head was shaking off and on. He was leaning forward perched on the bottom of his house. I went over and picked him up. He could barely open his "good" eye.

I got a towel and held him close to my heart. I did this because when Phil first lived with us I held him close to my heart.

I sat with him quietly. He could no longer perch. His feet were limp. His head was shaking and then stopped. He looked up at me.....and quietly passed away.

I held him for a long time. Everything stopped. The house was silent. I waited until I knew that he had flown across Rainbow Bridge and met my Mom. She will enjoy his sweet personality.

For those of you not familiar with the Rainbow Bridge Poem it goes like this:

"Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends to play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those that were hurt or maimed are made whole again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together"

Author unknown.

I love this poem but I have a different twist. I believe my Mom and family have already been to Rainbow Bridge and picked up my flock. I know my Mom would enjoy visiting with them and sharing in their spirits. So Phil has flown across Rainbow Bridge to meet my Mom. Their spirits soar.

I love you Phil.

I love you Mom......

crying here,

pm