Tippi Hedren, where are you?

OK - so I had just completed the last post (scroll down) and went into the kitchen for a glass of coke. Standing, looking out the window I heard a noise. At first I thought it was from the kitchen in the next unit, then remembered that we've never heard anyone there. Then I realized the sound was coming from INSIDE this kitchen - specifically inside the sink cabinet.

I waited for Jim to come in (standing frozen), and told him I thought there was something in the room. I had to specify that I thought it was a rodent (he was looking at me kind of funny - hmmm, she's going over the edge). So he looked first in the main cabinet holding pots and staples...nothing. Then he opened the sink cabinet. All I could see was something large and grey that hadn't been there this morning, and didn't look like the bottle of dish detergent. He slammed the door shut, as I yelped RAT. No, not a rat, a bird - a pidgeon. Or to be most accurate, a rat with wings.

What does one do with a bird in the kitchen where the windows are kept closed, in the middle of Kazakhstan? After barricading the cabinet and beginning to devise a disposal plan, the doorbell rang. Now we're really wondering where Alfred Hitchcock is hiding. Turns out it was our landlord, stopping by to deliver fresh sheets. He spoke enough English to understand the situation (assisted no doubt by the freaked out look on my face and my flapping my arms and pointing to the sink). He looked in, turned around and said ptitsa. We now know the Russian word for bird!

Anyway, it seems there's a larger than normal hole in the wall where the plumbing lines go, which leads to a hollow up to the service area under the roof. This hole has since been plugged, and will not be cleared while we're in residence!

Cocktails anyone???