freedom to fly

Today at long last Walter the pigeon went into an aviary to learn to fly. in the wild I think he would actually have fledged a week or so ago but we were still feeding him and we had yet to build an aviary. In the end it didnt cost too much which is a great relief since as usual we are skint! Anyway I woke poor M today ( he is on afternoon shift ) and he got up just after dawn poor dear and is probably knackered right now diving his forklift but anyway Walter went out at around 8am. That was the time it took me to get M to get out of bed with several cups of tea to help him. Walter came out of teh cockateil cage eventually when we were not there. He actually sat preening when we opened the door and stood waiting but in the end we gave up and left him to it. Oh and we now have a green ring on one leg so we will hopefully know him should he continue to live in this area. He has some branches for perches and leylandii cuttings on top of the wire above hi for shelter. We also have some corrugated plastic to go up tomorrow over one end. Ideally it would have been there before he went in but really it was urgent to get him out of the cage now and get him to fly. He hasnt much uplift yet but hopefully will improve over coming weeks and eventually we will release him. And I want to cry! I should be happy really to release him, but I cant help it. I will miss him but I do not agree with him being in a cage. After all when we found him I really did not expect him to survive and he is now almost grown. I like to think he may stick around but somehow I doubt this will really happen. This is after all real life not hollywood! He is not quite as big as a woodie yet but about the size of a ring neck dove and he will grow for a few months yet I should think. I have not been able to find out much about woodies - how long they live etc so do not know much at all really. Anyway I really think Walter has a very good chance of survival into adult hood and to maybe to breeding now. Certainly he or she will fly free one day soon.