Key West bird lady

[SandraK]

We got back yesterday from a holiday in KW where I came across and visited "Nancy Forrester's Secret Garden". What little I know is that Nancy is an elderly woman who is caring for approximately 7-10 macaws (including a hy), a senegal, a YNA and a hawkhead parrot as well as a too that was in quarantine at the time. I felt bad for her and gave her a check and a gift card for food.

I was wondering if anyone here had ever heard of her or could help find any info on her. I'd like to help her but I'm not sure exactly what her situation is.She is elderly and her assistant makes her look young.

 

[rocky'smom]

i'm going to google search and see what i find.
Nancy Forrester's Secret Garden, Parrots, Macaws, Key West, FL
she has interesting web site.

 

[Clueless]

very interesting web site.

 

[SandraK]

I met her and visited her garden - she no longer has a store and all the birds were outside. The senegal, YNA and hawkhead were in separate cages on the side verandah and the rest of the birds (all macaws) of different sizes and types were in their own cages in the back garden. There was a too and her hyacinth inside her front room; the only reason I know is because she invited me in when I gave her a check donation. A day or two later, when Fred & I were @ a small bar in KW, I'd asked the bartender about her and he'd said that "the state had made her move" he asked where I'd seen her birds and when I gave him the address he'd said it was "the new place" which I can only describe as tiny and pocket handkerchief size. When I'd gone back to give her the check, she was in the middle of trying to round up things she could sell to raise money.

I can only sigh, this lady is elderly and as she put it she's become the drop-off place for unwanted birds; she's in no position to take on anything else and had even asked me if it was okay to use my check for a utility bill (how do you say no to that?). Before we left, I'd left her a gift card for a small local supermarket - she needs to eat & take care of herself as well as the birds.

 

[Macaw Lover]

Is she at a point that she is looking for homes for the birds?

 

[SandraK]

I don't believe she'd admit it but I think that time might be getting closer than she'd like to confess.

 

[Hankmacaw]

How very sad. All of those birds looked healthy and in good feather.

Getting old is not for the faint of heart.

 

[SandraK]

There's no such thing as "the golden years" I firmly believe those were named after the number of gold teeth you had in your head - right now, getting old sucks ... and there's nothing golden about it.

 

[95talongirl]

We also visited her when we went to Key West in December. She cares a LOT for those birds, and you can tell that the stress is wearing on her. She said they were given a blue and gold whose caretaker passed away, when they really shouldn't be taking in more birds. She did seem to imply that they would like to re-home some of them. (And not going to lie.... was thinking of ways to bring aforementioned a blue and gold back.. lol!) The cockatoos were her main concern... apparently there's been complaints about the noise. If I remember correctly, she did find someone to take them upstate. She was really heartbroken about it, as the one 'too she has had for like 12+ years or something to that effect. I recently donated some money to her for the care of another cockatoo that was dropped off at her door that had psittacosis.

Attached are some of the photos I snapped during the visit. The hawkhead cracked me up as all he kept saying over and over was "hi baby". In fact, that's what he was saying in those photos.

 

[95talongirl]

oh, and here's her facebook page, if you have that:
Nancy Forrester's Secret Garden - Key West, FL - Home | Facebook

 

[Macaw Lover]

We also visited her when we went to Key West in December. She cares a LOT for those birds, and you can tell that the stress is wearing on her. She said they were given a blue and gold whose caretaker passed away, when they really shouldn't be taking in more birds. She did seem to imply that they would like to re-home some of them. (And not going to lie.... was thinking of ways to bring aforementioned a blue and gold back.. lol!) The cockatoos were her main concern... apparently there's been complaints about the noise. If I remember correctly, she did find someone to take them upstate. She was really heartbroken about it, as the one 'too she has had for like 12+ years or something to that effect. I recently donated some money to her for the care of another cockatoo that was dropped off at her door that had psittacosis.

Attached are some of the photos I snapped during the visit.

According to her FB the bird with the psittacosis got a second shot of doxyclinein in a series of 7. The bird has been kept in a bathroom and away from the other birds but is that a bathroom they use and are in/out of and the nasties can still be transmitted to the others???????????? She did mention again on FB that she was borrowing someone's car to transport the bird for the shots but you still have to be concerned about cross contamination when you KNOW you have an infected bird. Whoever just dropped off the bird at her doorstep, if they knew the bird was diseased, should be hung up by their finger nails.

You could have brought back the B&G back, just rent a car one way and start driving

 

[95talongirl]

It's hard... if you saw the actual size of the house, I honestly have no idea how a true quarantine would even be possible! I'd be a nervous wreck... that's for sure. And I'm with you.... if the people that dropped the cockatoo off knew the bird was diseased; !!!

LOL, the thought did cross my mind! I may just have to reach out to her again.

 

[SandraK]

When I was there all the birds except for a too and the hy were outside. The too and the hy were in what I'd call the front room of her house and Nancy'd explained that she used to have a little shop but was unable to keep it. I said that it's a no frills situation, but the cages were all clean and the birds had fresh water and were in good condition.

She has cashed the check I gave her when I was there and I'm relieved about that as I was afraid she might forget. She definitely cares for them. I'm curious about what Dave, the bartender @ Cork & Stogie, had said about "the State" making her move - I'd wanted to talk to him more about that but he was busy with other people.

 

[SandraK]

Forgot to mention that when I'd stopped by with the gift card to a local supermarket, I'd seen a vet bill left out on the table on the front verandah which indicated that some of her birds should have been seen back in 2011 (for check-ups i.e.)

 

[Lady Jane]

You are wonderful to help her out financially and hopefully emotionally. I am in my 70's and recently put in the hospital via a 911 call for pneumonia. I had no one to care for my birds and cat for one day and believe me it is scary. I now have a pet sitter on alert should this happen again which I pray not to. Anyone over 60 needs a back up plan for medical emergencies for their pets.

 

[Macaw Lover]

When I was there all the birds except for a too and the hy were outside. The too and the hy were in what I'd call the front room of her house and Nancy'd explained that she used to have a little shop but was unable to keep it. I said that it's a no frills situation, but the cages were all clean and the birds had fresh water and were in good condition.

She has cashed the check I gave her when I was there and I'm relieved about that as I was afraid she might forget. She definitely cares for them. I'm curious about what Dave, the bartender @ Cork & Stogie, had said about "the State" making her move - I'd wanted to talk to him more about that but he was busy with other people.

The Too you speak of, is that Lola that is being quarantined in the bathroom that has the psittacosis? I am just so scared for all the birds and any exposure they might have received.

I wish you had been able to talk more to Dave to find out just what was going on. Sure don't want to see her or anyone else forced to move out when the government claims eminent domain. Anyone up on the ins/outs of the psittacosis and with the set up that we only know about, what is the risk to the other birds? I worry if homes would have to be found for them, how risky are they?

 

[DancingFeathers]

The more I look into this, the more I want to help her. Would anyone be interested in trying to start a fundraiser of some sort in order to help her? I'm sure that money is an issue, but whether or not the state is still an issue or not, I don't know. I know I would love to try to raise some money, but I don't think that I can do it alone.

 

[Macaw Lover]

I had sent her an email offering to get some macadamia nuts shipped out to her and she wrote back wanting me to wait and to talk to me in depth when she had more time.

Avian Avenue will not want to be involved with it (fundraiser), especially after 'issues' arose in the past. I personally want to help her after seeing 2 members here who have met her and have seen that she is a legit person and not someone that was 'looking' for anything. These birds need some help and I have a soft spot for the Hy but it scares me with that psittacosis bird on the property now.

 

[DancingFeathers]

I had sent her an email offering to get some macadamia nuts shipped to out to her and she wrote back wanting me to wait and to talk to me in depth when she had more time.

Avian Avenue will not want to be involved with it (fundraiser), especially after 'issues' arose in the past. I personally want to help her after seeing 2 members here who have met her and have seen that she is a legit person and not someone that was 'looking' for anything. These birds need some help and I have a soft spot for the Hy but it scares me with that psittacosis bird on the property now.

I was more so thinking of using a crowdfunding website like crowdrise.

 

[Macaw Lover]

I was more so thinking of using a crowdfunding website like crowdrise.

Never heard of them before but then I live in the dark ages

There are fees that are paid to this company for their profit and I personally would rather just give the money/things directly to her, but that is just me.