On the drive home tonight I saw a magpie pecking repeatedly at a live baby wood pigeon. It was on the other side of the road on which I was travelling and I could not stop. I must admit, my heart was low thinking about it, defenceless, but I accept that even a magpie must eat. However, this time it was too much to bear and I raced (witin the speed limit) around the one way system in town again to see if it was still alive. It was and I picked it up as carefully as I could and put it in the car. It has severe wounds in its back and what looks like a crack on its beak. I suspect it will not last the night, but it is in a basket, lined with paper and covered over. Em researched what to do and the suggestion was a dark quiet place. It is the best we can do, and better our conservatory than a bloody death on the side of the road.
I feel worried about it and part of me thinks that interfering with nature does not always help. But here it stays until it dies or recovers and we can let it go. The local vet will not help, they do not want pigeons brought in....
Photo courtesy of the BBC
It really is not the prettiest of birds and ours is less so with its wounds.
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