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Bird Lands on boat underway

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hinmo
Navigator

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USA
248 Posts

Initially Posted - 07/08/2012 : 18:44:26

We were 3-4 miles out in Buzzards Bay Ma., today, when a bird landed a few feet from my face on the cabin top while underway. My wife was on the helm. It turned out to be a homing pigeon. Buzzards bay is a good 10 miles across, it was blowing 15kts. When we recovered from our shock, I tried to inch a cap full of water to the bird to no avail. He/she hung out for about 5 minutes and then just took off.

I'm an animal lover and I hope the best for this bird. I assume he/she was just resting. He/She had a bracelet on. It was an odd, yet reflective experience.

"Kukla" '83 FK,SR

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Joe Diver
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1218 Posts

Response Posted - 07/08/2012 : 20:17:32

Banded? Probably a racing pigeon...but they're rarely alone.....

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glivs
Admiral

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USA
836 Posts

Response Posted - 07/09/2012 : 04:27:09

Interesting encounter. Many years ago when I worked in the Gulf of Mexico, it was not uncommon to see individual birds land on our vessel to rest...some for hours but none as close as your encounter though.

Here in VT on fall days when the wind is "light and variable" and the Monarch's are migrating, one will occasionally catch a ride on the air passing over the sails and just glide along with us for many minutes before moving on. Don't know how they detect the air currents but they seem to. Our eeriest encounter, however, was with lamprey eels. Twice now I've discovered them attached to our transom or rudder riding along at 4+ Knots; once staying with us for nearly 2 nm. (I didn't make a big deal over it though as the Admiral likes to stop for a swim break in the open waters.)

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Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9076 Posts

Response Posted - 07/09/2012 : 19:59:38

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by glivs
 ...lamprey eels. Twice now I've discovered them attached to our transom or rudder riding along at 4+ Knots; once staying with us for nearly 2 nm.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Must've thought you were a big fish... and left when they couldn't find any blood to suck.

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redviking
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1771 Posts

Response Posted - 07/10/2012 : 21:16:04

I've had encounters with offshore birds a few times now. Usually they fly off, but a couple have been so tired that they stayed aboard and eventually died. When you are doing the jump from Cape May to Newport, the last thing you expect 50 miles offshore is a bird that wants to get down below, that and black flies that take up residence and breed rapidly until their captive food source pulls into port and leaves the boat.

sten

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hinmo
Navigator

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USA
248 Posts

Response Posted - 07/10/2012 : 22:27:25

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by redviking
 and eventually died. =

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Well Thank God that didnt happen!. But yes, at first I thought the little guy was heading below decks (and the wife would have really freaked out....."bird in the house..jinx..!") or he/she was injured.

Edited by - hinmo on 07/10/2012 22:28:04

Stinkpotter
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Djibouti
9076 Posts

Response Posted - 07/11/2012 : 07:25:23

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by redviking
 ...and black flies that take up residence and breed rapidly until their captive food source pulls into port and leaves the boat.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">A flyswatter often lies at my helm, and particularly in September, Sarge often arrives at the dock with red spots all around that area.

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Derek Crawford
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3321 Posts

Response Posted - 07/11/2012 : 09:38:22

200 miles offshore in the Gulf of Mexico we had a finch come aboard in the midst of a tropical storm. He hopped down below but unfortunately didn't survive the night - just too exhausted I guess.

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