August 7, 2012 Dear Mom;

Chris (center) and friends in the Medical room.

Mango

I'm sorry I'm so slow at getting this to you. It's funny; I feel as though I haven't got much to say this week. This week I took pine cones and chicken bones as the treat of the week. I know that Bertie loves chicken bones and I didn't make bird cookies like I had intended. So off I went with my bag of rags, spray bottle, treats and whatnot. I think Bertie must watch for me now. Almost as soon as I get out of the car, I can hear her yelling her distinctive hello. As usual, I cleaned the medical room first. I'm rethinking that now. I simply cannot clean and protect myself at the same time. So, I'm going to tell the staff supervisor, that she can give me something to do in the kitchen to help out. Then I'll spend time in the medical room getting to know the birds better and building some mutual trust. I just don't like getting bit. And I don't get bitten if I'm paying attention to the birds. I only get bitten when I'm not paying attention to what is happening around me. Mango, a usually gentle Moluccan Cockatoo flew at me twice when I was cleaning and not paying attention to the birds around me. He bit me once on the chest and once on the neck. I was not happy. LOL And Princess, a small Umbrella Cockatoo who looks up into my eyes and says "hello" in this little voice that melts my heart, nipped me twice for attention. So, we're changing the antecedents, folks. LOL I gave Chris a chicken bone and she was quick to take it. However, her "friend" promptly took it from her and sat enjoying it himself. I guess I'll have to save them until I have enough for everybody. Sigh.

I went over to Bertie's enclosure next. and when she saw the chicken bones she danced in anticipation. She got one, her "friend" got one and a couple of other birds got one each. But one of them dropped the bone on the floor. I guess it wasn't what he thought it was. Anyway, a Moluccan Cockatoo that was outside the enclosure spotted the bone on the floor. He/she pushed the door open enough to squeeze in, grabbed the bone, and opened the door again to squeeze out. I just stood there and watched. Soooooooo smart! And she really enjoyed that bone too. LOL

Then it was off to see Babe.                      
 I love watching her see me coming. She starts waving and saying hello...although I can't hear her until I get really close. She wanted nothing to do with a chicken bone. She acted like it might eat her or something. But Zoey was there and took the bone...briefly. It was a little like watching the game of hot potato. That bone passed from bird to bird until one of them seemed to know what it was. Babe didn't want to step up to my hand, probably figuring it had chicken grease on it, but jumped onto my shoulder as soon as I turned my back. Soon enough she was down on my arm getting some loving. I'd forgotten to fill my spray bottle, so I only had a half a bottle to give baths. That is just soooooo neat. Birds were hanging onto the dividers between the enclosures and the front of the enclosure flapping wings and just begging for more water. There were some visitors in the room while I was spraying the birds and they were laughing and pointing and really enjoying watching the antics. I must remember to fill the darn bottle the next time. 


                                          Bath Time


I just had some pine cones left for the birds in the special needs section when I was leaving. And no one got really excited about them. And that was it for last week.

I expect this week to be bite free. I don't intend to get distracted with cleaning. I'll let you know how it goes.

Love,

 

  Pat