Social media is abuzz with sightings of Darwin's rough-sleeping 'Pidgeon Lady' or 'Bird Lady' with her familiar stack of luggage and plaited piggy-tails.
Her return to Darwin was first published by local cafe owner Sean Johnston of Salvatores earlier this month, and shared online the caption: "When you know, you know. Someone's back. Please be kind."
Sean shared: "I don’t know much about her back story, other than the ones that have been speculated since I first saw her maybe 25 years ago.
"When I first saw her she had a sort of blond pigtail Germanaccent look/sound that made it difficult to determine why she was on the street.
"Then she took on a bird in a cage..looked like a pigeon in a dog carrier.
"You could see her playing and talking to the bird and never bothering anyone.
"I did see her get riled up a couple of times, but I believe she was probably provoked."
Another Darwin business owner Carol Phayer shared her sighting of the woman to the Facebook group Old Darwin, where a range of experiences and sightings have been shared over the years.
One perfect example that you can't always believe everything you read on social media, is the repeated claims of her demise in comment sections on various posts.
While running the risk of perpetuating falsehoods with this story; by way of sharing experiences that may be based on cases of mistaken identity or similar; it is a fascinating read - people's beliefs and thoughts - and an interesting example on the role social media can play in the evolution of an urban legend.
As somewhat of a disclaimer, The Mango Inquirer will highlight before I continue, that none of these comments I'm sharing are implied as being fact.
One man wrote in Old Darwin on the Pidgeon Lady: "I remember copping a blasting from her as a kid for spraying a water pistol too close to her cage outside the old post office in the city. Was always petrified of her after that."
Another comment: "Amazing survival skills. I just feel sorry for the pain that must have been in her life.
One comment described her as a victim of sexual assault at Casuarina bus exchange, before incorrectly declaring her death in Perth.
Another wrote: "Heard she was apart of the Swedish royal family. I've looked up some of it, and read that King Carl Gustav, whatever generation it was, kicked a heap of family out and maybe she's apart of that family."
One experience read: "She descended upon me when I was 18-years-old at a bus stop in Palmerston. I'm now 39; and proceeded to tell me her story.
"Her opening line was 'when I was young I was beautiful. Much more beautiful than you' with a thick accent I can't place."
Another wrote: "Very nice lady if you could gain her trust, as I did when I worked for 49 Mitchell St Salvo Hostel."
A more unusual comment took delight in her smell: "In the 90s I used to say hi to her in the early morning when I’d be collecting my mail at the Darwin post office. She always smelt lovely and often was sitting plaiting her hair."
One comment discussing her absence from Darwin read: "I do hope she is safe. I heard she had blown her mind with drugs and was a really good dancer in her day. We never fully know what other people have been through. I would think she would be in her early 60s by now."
Another claimed: "This lady lost her husband and 3 children to a house fire. Bless Heidi. Bird Lady!! May your feet lead to to where your heart is!!"
One comment said she'd been immortalised on Google Maps: "If you go to Google maps and do a street view of Knuckey and Mitchell Street, and go back in dates to 2008, she is crossing the road with her suitcases and cages."
Some comments alternated between calling her Heidi, Helga, Olga and Wanda, although it wasn't entirely clear what she preferred to go by.
One comment thread pondered: "She probably hated most of us and was often extremely rude to people.
"But I was always glad when I saw her around. I often wonder if she ever realised just how famous she was and how much we all debated her lifestory and her lifestyle.
"If it is true, then RIP Bird Lady. You will become one of our Urban Legends, along with Ruby, Cowboy and so many other long grass people.
A taxi driver shared: "Use to pick her up in the taxi sometimes. She was a very troubled soul. I think see was from Germany and most conversations or rants were about 'the authorities are watching, they follow me everywhere.
"I got the impression she had life changing experiences as a girl. I felt sorry for her! She carried her pigeon in a cage in my cab. She was ok!"
One comment looking for more understanding read: "I remember her! I never experienced any nastiness from her but if someone is nasty there is usually a reason for it.
"There is never an appropriate excuse for nastiness, but an explanation goes a long way towards extending empathy, when someone seems unkind.
"Usually in these cases, it's lacking coping skills and/or trauma. I sincerely hope she is doing ok."
One comment calling-out the rumour mill read: "I’d forgotten about her and enjoyed the update. Someone said she was rich and didn’t give a damn about money.
"Typical Darwin rumours. Then I heard it was Kezia Purick’s sister. How’s that for a rumour."
An airline worker shared: "I worked at Ansett Airlines in cargo on Lancaster Lane and she would come in and send her birds on little holidays of their own around Australia and back.
"Full on would cover the cage etc with blankets etc send away, then the birds came straight back. Was a return flight. Bizarre, very rich, but eccentric, and homeless lady. The bird lady as we called her."
One experience shared: "She was studying Psychology at the Darwin Community College when I was doing my teaching degree.
"Only ever saw her sitting in the student lounge reading a psychology book peering over her glasses at us. Chris, who still wanders around the streets of Darwin and Palmerston, was also studying teaching when I was too for a while!"
One commenter, knowing her back in the 1980s wrote: "I had fair bit to do with her in her early days in Darwin. 80s. She had led a very high societal life in Perth and was extremely glamorous. She showed me photos of her back then, and stories of her Polish grandmother."
A comment expressing concerns for her safety six months ago if she returned to Darwin read: "She wouldn't last a day on Darwin streets today, these days, with the criminal kids with knives and hatchets roaming about, and the Jovi Boyz from Wadeye incursions."
Annoyance on the social media discussion of Pidgeon Lady's circumstances appeared limited on the multiple Facebook posts viewed by this publication, but one comment did ask: "Why do people become public property up for discussion and innuendo instead of respect?"
Another asked about a potential book: "Someone could be writing an interesting biography of 'A Darwin Character: The BirdLady of Darwin'
What Mango would say to the Pigeon Lady; if I thought she would really care: Worry not what they say about you.
The fact that they're still talking, means you matter.
We are The Mango Inquirer.
