We had to say a hard good-bye to a very old friend/worker on Monday. We lost Phoenix, our white dove, during the night. It was not totally unexpected; she had not been feeling well the last few days, but would perk up if I petted her or talked to her. You could tell she was being stoic about it, as all wild animals are. She was an ‘elderly’ bird, having given us lots of joy over the last 16 1/2 years.
We ‘adopted’ her, of sorts, in August of 1999, when some butterfly researchers in RMNP brought her into town, saying she would not have lasted the night in the forest, as she was obviously a domestic dove. We always assumed she had been released for a wedding ceremony taking place there or some such thing, and had ignored the handler when they tried to pick up the released doves. She came to us highly trained, but we opted to let her go with her preferred behavior and stay in her palace as we called her large cage.
Phoenix would entertain anyone who took the time to chat with her, cooing non-stop early morning and evenings. It was a pleasant sound that echoed through the lower level of the lodge. She even tried to mimic sounds, like the squeaky printer I used to have, or a combination of laughs when guests would get excited about something.
She gave mightily to the business, never shirking her duty as door greeter, and she will be dearly missed. Rest in peace, our beloved Phoenix. You certainly earned your keep!
