Hello. Today has brought sadness and happiness to Hill Top. This morning the boys were up at the crack of dawn feeding the hoglets. They were both girls and were named Lucky and Angel. They have fed really well during the day, but this evening Lucky began jumping, almost like fitting, and then sadly she died at about 9pm. Angel fed again tonight, but these first few days are the most difficult and we just pray that Angel will survive.On a different note, Roy came home from work with a baby pigeon that someone had given to him. He was rejected from the nest and had been rescued by some children.
He is really small and at first glance he looked like a duck, but Beth confirmed that it is a baby pigeon. He is feeding really well and is kept with the hoglet in a warm box by the aga. Ross and Greg have called him DoDo!
I don't know if you remember the story of the seal spotted off Lundy Island on my blog of the 18th of June - we were appealing for help. Apparently this picture is now on the front page of today's North Devon Journal. I haven't seen it yet, but let's hope someone can help free him from the fishing net.
More great updates tomorrow. Goodnight from everyone at Hill Top.
There's a reason why baby pigeons and doves look like dodos.
ReplyDeleteDodos and solitaires either evolved from some species of dove or pigeon, or they evolved from the common ancestor of doves or pigeons.
The dodo had pedomorphic (paedomorphic) features in relation to the adult dove. Just like domestic dogs have paedomorphic features in relation to wolves. However, in the dodo's case, it evolved to be much larger than the typical dove or pigeon. But its features and its inability to fly are characteristic of its paedomorphosis.
Thank you very much for your comments. We are all very interested to read what you have written. Thank you for reading our blog.
ReplyDelete