Email, Snail Mail or....Pigeon Post?

We have gotten so accustomed to zipping out an email whenever we want to correspond that the use of the Post Office is lacking. It fully amazes me that when we do happen to post something in the so-called "Snail Mail", we expect full delivery within hours..it does not happen. Nor should it happen..think of the process that this letter or package has to wander through before reaching its destination. Paper does not flip through the airways like our emails zip around..there are human hands that have to sort, load and deliver each letter or package! Imagine that! Human hands! hmmmm? What in the world do we have to gripe about when those human hands deliver that letter halfway around the world for under a dollar? We should be appreciative of the mail service...after all, we could have to depend on other means..namely Pigeon Post! Carrier pigeons could definitely deliver a small message but probably would not do too well with a package! And then, the letter would only be delivered to a set destination so this door to door delivery would be out the window..so to speak!

All of this leads up to a bird that was in the yard earlier. I noticed a sort of unusual-looking bird land in a pine tree near the pier so I eased on down with my camera. As the bird came into view, I realized it was a pigeon. Not a rare bird by far in most regions but on the Bayou..yep..a bit strange. I stared at my newcomer. What are you doing here, Bird? The poor thing looked a bit disoriented and maybe a lot tired..why, it actually looked downright exhausted! I snapped a few pictures of the bird before noticing that it had a band on its leg! Why this was no wild bird! This bird belonged to someone! Now I thought to myself..If only I could coax my fine-feathered friend near enough, I could read the tag! No such luck..the bird just sat in the pine tree..resting. My imagination started running wild (as it is often prone to do!). What if this bird was carrying some important message? What if this bird was carrying information that was vital to the security of the nation? What if this bird had lost its way? What if I dreamt up crazy situations? (Oh..yeah, that last one is probably the only one that was anywhere near the truth!) Anyway, I watched the pigeon for some time. It was definitely exhausted. I wondered how far it had come and just how much further it had to go before it reached its destination.

Back in the day, Pigeon Post was quite a efficient method of sending messages. A pigeon could be trained to fly between two different destinations. A small message could be attached to the leg of the bird and when the bird was released, it would fly to the other "home". The "homing" capability of a pigeon was remarkable! During wartimes, the bird was employed to get messages across enemy lines. Later, some pigeons were trained to fly from shore to ship thus delivering messages for the Navy. The pigeon can fly up to 50 miles per hour so in a 10 hour day it can cover up to 500 miles! All of this flying while carrying a message on its leg is quite a task. Some of these birds are even fitted with small backpacks. This allows them to carry heavier loads..by heavy meaning about 5 or 6 ounces. This use of heavier loads does exhaust the birds and only is allowed for shorter distances. Truthfully, the bird does not get lost..its ability to find its home roosting spot is amazing! So I suppose this bird was just taking a rest and would be on its way after a bit. Smart bird! "Neither rain nor snow nor heat nor gloom of night...." oh, wait..that is the motto inextricably attached to the United States Postal Service not my pine-tree-roosting pigeon! (By the way, just so you will know..the United States Postal Service has no official motto!)