An unusual chore

A couple of pigeons decided to start a family and them lovebirds picked our ledge to make their nest.

So the lady pigeon got pregnant and laid two eggs. Both eggs hatched and the proud pigeon parents started to raise their hatchlings.

The family of four pigeons were not particularly noisy, but they produced a ton of shit. Pretty sure pigeon droppings are health hazard, so that family of pigeon was starting to be a concern for us.

The last straw was when we discovered that one of the little pigeons has died, I am guessing due to sibling "love". But anyhow a carcass on our ledge is a definite no no.

We waited until the remaining murderous little pigeon could fly before we do the carcass disposal and a proper clean up of the filthy ledge. We also want to put up a net to stop any other lovebirds making nest and pooing mess of the ledge.

Today's the day for that operation. It's a big deal because the ledge is on 18th floor and only has a lower than knee-height fence. It's an open and long way down...

Anyway, with a home made safety apparatus tying me to the window grill, I climbed over the windowsill to land on the ledge with the air-conditioning unit, thick layer of bird poo, and the remaining young pigeon.

Yup, the same young pigeon that's supposed to know how to fly already. Only it doesn't, so it's trapped there scared shitless. Probably emptied its bowel when I went out onto the ledge, couldn't tell really since the ledge was so full of droppings.

So the intel from wifey and son was wrong, the young pigeon can't fly yet.

Since I was already out on the ledge, the operation continued. The net wouldn't be put up today anyway, it's planned for the next weekend, but now it will have to wait until the young pigeon truly can fly and leave our ledge. For real, and hopefully for good.

The cleaning commenced, with the poor scared pigeon sharing the tiny space with me while I scraped, brushed, disposed of carcass and filth in plastic bag, unclogged the drain hole, and eventually hosed down the ledge.

Many home made tools were used. We should all be grateful of the mighty duct tape. =P

And yes, I hosed down the ledge, with further brushing of wet surfaces. The pigeons have special ability to get their poos on vertical walls, so it was raining shit at one point of the cleaning process, with me and that poor pigeon in the shit-shower... >_<

Probably should mention that I am not fond of birds, because I was attacked and pecked by a cock when I was young. Not scared of them, more like weary.

Anyway, so that's the special chore I did today.

Pretty sure the pigeon family will cover the ledge with droppings again by the time the little pigeon can fly and we can finally put up the net. Meaning a repeat of the whole cleaning process.

And the shit-shower.

Other |sane side| category entries.