Merlina hasn't come back although I have found a few crow feathers in the garden which makes me think that maybe she did make the great escape, although what happened to her after that I dread to think. I have called her name a few times and a couple of times got a 'caw caw caw' reply, but as there are lots of crows around I think maybe it was wishful thinking on my part to believe it could be her.
Anyway the aviary seems very empty and so i got in touch with local animal rescue charity Lo Scudo di Pan, who took her to LIPU (the bird rescue organisation) to have her wing amputated. They were sorry to hear about Merlina and wondered if I could take in a pigeon (piccione if you want the Italian word!) with a damaged wing who couldn't fly.
Of course I said yes and a week or so ago Picchio (which actually means woodpecker I've discovered!) arrived, brought by two volunteers from Arezzo who had been keeping him in a cage in their apartment.
Naturally. I had been doing extensive research about pigeons on the internet and was now about as well-versed as I could be. He seemd shiny and fat and his rust coloured eyes gleamed at me as they let him out into the most space he had seen for three months. And would you believe it he flew across and perched on a Christmas tree in a pot I had put in there during my extensive and very pleasurable crow-to-pigeon-habitat makeover job. The volunteers Lucia and Luciano looked at each other. 'He can fly!' We decided that I should keep him in the aviary for a couple of months until it gets warmer and then if he is up to it, release him.
So now we have a very different energy in the aviary. Merlina's restless intelligence and manic cawing has been replaced by a laid-back bird who is calm and accepting. In fact he hardly seems to move from one spot, although I know he does as his food has gone and a trail of droppings proves he does explore all corners of his domain. Gassie the Setter was initially very interested in the new occupant (different smell I suppose) but a few well-placed pieces of green garden shade material managed to bore him sufficienly not to make any more attempts to get inside.
I still call for Merlina on the walk, I heard another caw caw caw yesterday. The dogs looked at me with interest and then looked around as if to see her hopping into view.
And Picchio sits on his perch and dreams of the day he will be free again.