Hello MD Birders:

Indian Fantails are not good flyers.  The ones that were seen at Riley's Lock may have gotten over a nearby fence and thus belong in the neighborhood, but more likely they were brought to Riley's Lock and released by someone who didn't know, or didn't care, that they can't survive on their own in the wild.  Please, would anyone who sees them again call (or take the birds to) a pigeon fancier, animal shelter, or wildlife rehabilitator who can care for them and find them a permanent home.

Dorothy Tella
McLean, VA
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Helen Patton 
  To:  
  Sent: Wednesday, September 06, 2006 9:11 PM
  Subject: Re: [MDOSPREY] White birds at Riley's Lock


  Hi Karen,
  I was with Andy Martin's field trip and we did see those birds.  We thought
  they were escaped pigeons - one had been bred to have that fancy tail.
  Helen Patton
  Silver Spring, MD
  (301) 588-5418
  Helen at dataprompt dot com


  -----Original Message-----
  From: Maryland Birds & Birding [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
  Behalf Of Bruce and Karen Stewart
  Sent: Wednesday, September 06, 2006 4:29 PM
  To: 
  Subject: [MDOSPREY] White birds at Riley's Lock

  Last weekend Derek Richardson posted a query and pictures of two pigeon
  sized, white birds at Riley's Lock.  The male had a ruffed grouse- like
  tail.  I saw them also and was also hoping somebody knew what they were.
  Any guesses?

  Karen Stewart
  Chevy Chase MD