Published: October 05, 2007 01:18 pm            

THE ISLE FILE: No mourning for dove on the mend

This year’s October surprise arrived on foot and left in a beer case.

We were applying a season-ending sprinkling to the front bushes when something small and gray scurried away. A rodent for sure, Doug thought, until it circled around and came back. Rodents are famously anti-social; this critter was all but announcing itself.

It turned out to be a mourning dove, flapping and hopping, unable to elevate more than a few inches. Doug called the SPCA. A sympathetic staffer in “wildlife” asked if he could catch it, box it and bring it in, preferably before 6 p.m. It was 5:24. “Do you know where we are?” she asked. “Yeah, for us it’s about three miles as the crow flies,” said Doug, a poor choice of words. Even Dennis Upton, Grand Island’s professional punster, would groan.

To the amusement of a yardful of neighboring teens, we double-teamed the dove, lowered it into a Weissbeer box which was appropriately handy and headed for the SPCA, arriving at 5:46, ready to give flight to a flock of apologies. The staff reacted as if we’d brought in the Holy Grail. We don’t get this many thanks on Christmas morning. “The bird seems pretty alert,” one of them told us. “We think it’s got a chance. Thanks so much for bringing it in.” She patted Doug on the back and praised his speed. Look up sincerity on the Internet and you’ll see a picture of the SPCA’s bird squad.

Speaking of Internet, we did a little search and learned that most ornithologists believe that mourning doves mate for life. Did we break up someone’s home? Probably not, the bird seemed fairly young and it’s autumn. The SPCA offered us a file number so that we could call and check on its progress. We declined. Both across the river and above the clouds, we’re sure the dove is in the right hands.

• GETTING HIS KICKS: Grand Island graduate Brett Kern has a better punting average than the Bills’ Brian Moorman. Kern averaged 53.8 yards on six kicks in the University of Toledo’s 42-28 loss to Western Michigan last weekend and for the year he’s averaging 47 yards to Moorman’s 44.8. Toledo has won only one game and yields points by the dozens, but if you want to cheer on an ex-Viking with a real shot at the NFL, be there when the Rockets touch down at UB next Saturday. Game time is 1 p.m.

• LOST CHORDS: Those Grand Island Community Chorus rehearsals resound through the halls of Old Trinity United Methodist Church, 2100 Whitehaven Rd. Somehow we omitted the location last weekend. And the Dec. 2 concert is now scheduled for St. Stephen’s.

• LAST STAND: Suzy’s Stand, Rich Eicheldinger’s produce outlet in front of the VFW, calls it a year this Sunday. Last weekend’s corn was delish. Now summer is REALLY over, but no more surprises, please.

Isle File idea? Write Box 1186, Grand Island, NY 14072 or e-mail pollyndoug@hotmail.com.

        

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