HERALD readers have rushed to help search for a missing pet dove, reporting a flurry of possible sightings.
Dovey McDoveface was rescued as a chick four years ago and hand-reared by doctoral student Dave Nicol.
But the white bird went missing from Luddington two weeks ago.
Dovey, who is very tame, perches on Dave’s shoulder and flies free.
But Dave believes he lost his bearings, after taking off from his mum’s Christa’s garden in Luddington, where she has been caring for the bird.
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Becky Foster was the first to spot what looked like the feathered fugitive on the roof of her home in Blackwell near Shipston, more than a week ago.
A pure white Dove fitting Dovey’s description, lingered on her roof for 10 days, looking “a bit lost”.
Becky took photographs and the Herald shared these with Dave but on closer inspection, it was clear the bird on her roof wasn’t wearing anklets.
Several more readers, including Janet Watkinson, messaged and rang to say they too had spotted the dove in Blackwell and the Shipston area.
Another sighting in Radford Semele was also reported – this time by Michael Trinder and his wife Maureen who noticed a white dove suddenly appeared on a nearby roof on Monday (12th June).
The couple tried to entice the bird down to get a closer look but when the Herald went to press, the dove was sheltering underneath solar panels, to protect itself from the hot weather.
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Michael told the Herald: “He’s very friendly – I am sure he’s the one. We tried to coax him down with biscuit crumbs, but he didn’t come.”
He added: “We’ll try again to get him down onto our garden table, so we can check if he is wearing anklets and take pictures so his owner can see if it really is Dovey.”
Meanwhile, Dave has appealed for any local bird charities or experts used to handling birds, to get in touch so that if a sighting turns out to be Dovey McDoveface, he can be gently captured and safely brought home.
Dave first met Dovey four years ago when he worked at a farm in Warwick. The young chick kept falling out of his nest, even though Dave kept putting him back. Worried a cat or other predator would kill him, he eventually decided to take the baby dove home and care for him.
Dovey was best friends with Dave’s black Labrador Zero, who died from cancer in November, and used to curl-up with the dog at night and even ride on his back.
Dave, who’s in his final year as an engineering doctoral student at Warwick University, is temporarily living in Thailand for a work project.
Dovey is wearing red anklets on his legs, which carry Dave’s phone number.
If you sight Dovey, call the Herald on 01789 266261, or message us via our Facebook page.