I’ve always loved birds, but never expected a pair of them to move in!
Coming back from the garden one morning this summer, I saw a blue bird on our deck. When I realized he was a budgie, I tried, unsuccessfully, to coax him into my hand. While my husband knocked on neighbors’ doors to ask if anyone lost a bird, I stayed and talked to the little guy. He’d approach me, but never closer than about 18 inches. Because he appeared to be in good weight with sleek feathers, I thought he’d recently escaped from somewhere nearby.
As I continued talking to the elusive creature, a green and yellow flash caught my eye. Yes, it was the other bird in the picture. She flew onto the table beside him. The two were obviously a bonded pair. They stayed for a little while, then flew away. I figured they were gone for good but when they returned a few minutes later, I filled a shallow dish with water, and my husband brought cracked corn and bird seed. After a few pecks at the food, off they went. When they hadn’t returned an hour later, I doubted we’d see them again, and hoped they’d found their way back to their owner. Budgies aren’t native birds and are chased and attacked by the wild birds in the area. The colorful little creatures are also a favorite meal for hawks. Although parrots typically have little homing instinct, I left the food and water on the table, just in case.
For the rest of the day, I checked often but they hadn’t returned. Near dusk, I went out to bring in the dishes and the birds were there, interested in “talking” to me, but not considering allowing me to touch them. Armed with a fishing net and a spaghetti strainer, I caught the female, put her in a cat carrier and brought her into the house near the door. The male came inside to sit with her and we herded him into the carrier, too.
My husband headed to the pet store to buy a bird cage and supplies, while I searched the internet, the humane societies, pet rescues, neighborhood chats, etc. attempting to find someone who’d lost a bonded pair of budgies. After a week of searching with no luck, we ordered a flight cage and gave them names, Kai and Kani.
Kai is named after Malacai, the dragon in my novel “Goldfield Forest,” and Kani’s name came from Makani, a dragon in the novel “Sanctum,” a story I loved, by PTL Perrin. I’m now in the process of taming the feathered dragons and am grateful they don’t breathe fire!
Has a furry or feathered creature ever adopted you? I’d love to hear the story!
Cheers!
Stories By Karen 