February 10th

The juvenile Pigeons, yesterday transferred to the pigeon-cage in “The Keep” were both present alive and kicking early this morning. We have looked in vain for more than one hour for a plastic bag with aluminium bird-rings (worth almost 250 GBP), which hadn’t disappeared but from which the present location was unknown > at last discovered and sorted. Now we can ring the birds, which have lost meanwhile their plastic foot-ring, witch a colored ring with an number before they will be released. On a long ago succumbed Pigeon (which had been frozen till yesterday special for these occasions) we have demonstrated the opening, emptying and again stitching of the crop, whereafter there was a diligent practicing to have a perfect command of this. As well the “binding” of the bird before treatment was showed. All this was performed more than sufficient, so Irah received the certificate “trained stitcher”. We have seen this morning, the first time since she is here, the Spurr-tighed Tortoise “Stoffel” eating on her own !! At 12.02 p.m. a phone-call from María Karapolíti about a Tomcat with ear-problems; she will pass-by with him today or tomorrow.