Technician Tales: Return of the Dove

Early one morning, I arrived at a beautiful beachside facility to service a six-foot aviary. After doing the dishes, I climbed inside the large structure and promptly set about catching birds. I realized fairly quickly however, that I had forgotten to get the bird nail trimmers from my kit, so I stepped from the aviary to retrieve them. Unfortunately, as I did, the male dove managed to slip out and was suddenly free in the facility’s activity room. My heart was pounding, but I calmed down and reminded myself that even if I were in for a chase, the bird would get tired before me, and most likely give up—happy to be returned to its baby and mate. After fetching my net, I located the runaway perched on a beautiful chandelier, however, my approach spooked him, and he flew off. That was the moment that I realized the doors leading to the patio were opened, exposing the outside world. To my horror, the dove was heading straight for them. I chased after him, but it was too late. He was out. I watched in despair as he ascended to the balconies above.

I had never felt so awful in my life. Not only had the dove escaped, he would, not knowing how to function in the “wild” most likely not survive for long. Meanwhile his baby and mate would never see him again. I had broken up a family. Unable to stand the idea, I remained on the patio, scanning the balconies for any sign of him, but he was gone.

There was nothing more I could do so I went back to work with a heavy heart. After I had cleaned for an hour or two, I had a premonition that I should go outside and look for the dove again. I had been praying that God would bring him back, and although I knew it was a slim chance, I went out to look. At first, I saw nothing in the balconies above and I felt discouraged. But as I walked the length of the fenced-in patio, I spotted something in a patch between two bushes and could not believe my eyes. There he was, sitting tensely and looking around with big eyes! I ran back inside and got my net, letting myself know all the way there and back that I only had one shot at netting him before he flew off again. With that in mind, I crept forward slowly, inch by inch.

I saw him eyeing me as I tiptoed near, and as I suddenly lunged forward, he leapt in the air. But it was too late, I caught him! Relieved to the point of nearly being in tears, I returned him to the temporary cage wherein he sat beside his mate who stared at him curiously, as if wondering where he’d been. I went about the rest of my cleaning with soaring spirits. When all the work was finished and I had put the birds back into the aviary, the dove family settled together on their nest and I guessed that the father was telling his mate and baby of the adventure he had been on. He wouldn’t soon forget it, and neither would I!