The Wonderful World of Shaman

A little grey and white rascal landed in our garden 3 years ago, an unusual pigeon. After fruitless contact with a breeder at which the markings on his leg ring pointed us to (and I am glad this was fruitless as apparently we have since learned that many pigeons are killed if they get lost by their owners), we decided to feed him and keep him warm with a little box attached to our shed in our garden. I named him Shaman as his face markings reminded me of a native American medicine man and I also found him to be magical, as he can tumble in the sky, producing wonderful backwards somersaults, sometimes up to ten of them if quick succession.

I came home from work one day to find that my husband had a built a wonderful house for our little fella, because Shaman had now found a wife called Lady, it was time to settle them into a proper home. Resembling a Swiss Chalet more than a pigeon house, Chez Shaman has everything the modern pigeon needs and considering they can live to around 15 years old, they may as well be comfortable!!

We have even joined the local racing pigeon club, The Kingsteignton Abbrook Park Pigeon Racing Club’ whose members had to vote to allow us in as we have a roller pigeon not a racer.

Last Christmas Shaman and Lady went flying together, but only Lady came back. We waited for 10 minutes, half an hour, a day and then after three days we were totally gutted thinking that one of the two Sparrow Hawks which lurk in our neighbourhood must have scrobbled him. By pure chance my husband had nipped home from work on the fourth day and heard a noise behind our fire place. Scrabbling up on our roof he looked down the chimney to see a little grey and white face staring back up at him, bending a garden rake he scooped a sooty, skinny pigeon out and said (and there may possibly be some artistic licence here!) that Shaman jumped shivering into his arms.

So now after ‘Chimney Gate’ – Shaman and Lady are spoilt rotten, the best food, their own bathing and sun lounging area, and to say thank you, Shaman flies by every morning and tumbles for us. Shaman is the crème de la crème of roller pigeons, but most of all he and his good lady wife are now part of our family and bring joy to us every day!!!

Tracks of the day:

Lynyrd Skynyrd 'Freebird'

Ozzy Osbourne 'Flying High Again'

Wings 'Live & Let Die'

Poison 'Ride The Wind'