Rock Dove Rescue

For the past 10 days I have noticed a Rock dove in the garden with what appeared to be a huge growth on it's neck or crop. I mentioned this to trust member and pigeon man Paul Thomson, and he said it may have been in collision with something and this could have ruptured the air bags within the neck causing the inflated crop.  
Today while feeding the garden birds I got the surprise of my life when the injured rock dove ventured into my front doorway. I slowly closed the door and trapped it on the window ledge.

Mindful of my recent bout of pneumonia caught from close contact with pigeons, I quickly put on a special mask I bought before wrapping the bird in a towel. I could feel no tumour growth so came to the conclusion that this was indeed trapped air from an accident.

Having had a collapsed lung myself about 13 years ago, I remembered how the doctors in Raigmore hospital re-inflated the lung by inserting  a needle into the chest cavity and drawing the air from the chest with a syringe.
Using a syringe from my wildlife medical kit I basically did the same to the rock dove - except I was deflating the crop area. After drawing 3 syringes full of air, the crop size was reduced by more than half.

The rock dove was content and seemed to realise I was helping it, now feeding and acting normally where previously it could not, 

because the air filled area was pushing it's head to the right and blocking it's sight on the left with protruding feathers.   

On release it walked out the door and immediately started eating normally...job done, it made my day !!

Nearly COPD It !

Today I was released from Hospital after a severe case of pneumonia in both lungs, frankly at one point I thought I was a goner !

For over 15 years I have suffered from a progressive illness called COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ) I have coped well with this as long as I did not fall prey to any chest infections.

However, After numerous blood tests during treatment, it transpired that I am extremely susceptible to the dust and dander of pigeons, leaving me open to a condition known as "pigeon fanciers lung." 
Unfortunately this means I will no longer be able to handle and care for sick pigeons, which is a sad state of affairs for me.

The recent care and handling of pigeons was the trigger for this attack of pneumonia, so any future sick or injured pigeons will now have to go straight to the Scottish SPCA 03000 999 999.

I would like to thank all those well wishers and people of good will for their kind thoughts and wishes.
I was so out of it and unable to get online, hence no updates for a while. I am still pretty weak and likely to take some weeks to fully recover.

The Trust has continued to feed the river birds daily in spite of my absence, and proves the wisdom of setting up the Trust for just such an eventuality ! Friend and fellow Trust member George Stephen has been feeding the birds on my behalf, the trust is grateful to George and we all thank him !

The trust still seeks financial support from the public as well as new members, feel free to donate if you can. Thanks.