Upon arriving home four days ago, I noticed that the white splotches on my driveway were increasing. The splotches were directly under where my engine would be when my truck is parked. Odd.
I parked further down in the driveway and walked around the corner of the house and a pigeon walked quickly under my utility trailer. I walked a ways down the lawn and looked. Sure enough, one wing was askew. I have been feeding "Wingrat" since, in hopes I might catch him. Nobody wants him (SPCA, etc), so I really only have two options if I catch him. Let a predator take him or kill him. I have a feeling I should kill him as it would (might?) be more humane as it only takes several seconds but I don't have the cold heart that I used to have in such matters.
Any thoughts?
Now, the other part of the story. Two days ago, whilst feeding Wingrat, a young looking robin landed on a sawhorse about ten feet away and watched and chirped at me. Same thing yesterday... three times. Today, I was standing between the truck and my house watching the hummingbird feeders to see if maybe there were any around yet.
"Red" flew out of one of my maples and landed near the back of the truck and chirped at me and cocked his head. I replied, "Hey Buddy." Red hopped a couple of feet closer and this was repeated until he was about four feet from me. Then he put up a fuss. I asked, "What?" He flew under the truck and I could hear fluttering and red squawking that shrill squawk. Out from under the truck comes Wingrat making a beeline for the backyard. Red came out from under the truck and chirped at me loudly and flew off.