Watching and Raising Texas Birds

I have always been infatuated with birds and flight. I remember as a kid watching the bird migrations in West Texas. We would have long lines of crows, flocks of geese, kettles of broad winged hawks along with the strange sounding sandhill cranes. All would fly over in the seasonal passages north and south. I loved the thrill of my heart skipping at the flush of a covey of quail or the cackle of a cock pheasant as they lifted into the air. I was always anticipating the shot-dodging flight of dove in the fall. I could think of nothing more engrossing than waterfowl settling into the decoys on a cold foggy morning. Even though I was an avid bird hunter I often raised game birds, hawks, owls and any other feathered babies I would find and bring home.

As I grew older I became fascinated with hawks, parrots and pigeons and have raised them all from just hatched to fully mature. I was intrigued by the idea of taking a bird several hundred miles away from home and releasing it only to have it beat me home to the pigeon loft. I later became engrossed with breeding the Roller pigeon and flying kits of birds that would fly a figure eight pattern high above the house while making breath taking spins of 10-50 feet at almost every turn. Due to a move to a restricted subdivision and work, I had to quit raising Roller pigeons. This last weekend I again watched Rollers high in the air working their magic and performing spins while in the air high above their homes. Thanks to the generosity of another breeder I came home with a box of young birds and hope to again fly some pigeons of my own breeding in the near future. Get out and watch some birds, it will do your soul good. Wild Ed