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January 2015 Mayor of the Avenue..... SandraK!

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Shade

Crazy for Pois!
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Our "Mayor of the Avenue" award is presented to a member who exhibits the qualities that distinguish them to be an upstanding credit to the Avenue, a loving, informed, conscientious and caring bird parront and an all around good neighbor.

I am so delighted to announce Sandra as January's Mayor of the Avenue.
I loved your interview and enjoyed getting to know you a little better!


1. What kind of birds do you have (age, species and names)?


My flock consists of a sun conure, 3 budgies, 4 Quakers,11 gccs and 12 cockatiels varying in age from 6 years old (sun Tikki) to a presently 2 week old tiel and 2 recently hatched chicks. Some of the fids like tiels Peeps, Theo & Sonny, Quaker Daisy and budgies, Rio, Blue and Spot are ages unknown because they were adopted and didn't have hatch dates. Sonny & Beni are the ones I've owned the longest, since 2008, though Loofa & Tikki are the ones who I have approximate ages on. Most of the gccs & tiels have been hatched at home between 2009 and 2014.

2. What got you interested in birds?


My husband surprised me with a baby Quaker as a 2006 Christmas present. I'd never given him any hint or clue that I liked birds but for some reason he gave me Kiwi, a little green Quaker, seen in my avatar. He got her @ the 7 Mile Fair in Wisconsin and told me he'd picked her because she was the biggest of the babies available. I actually got her a couple of days early because the kids wouldn't cooperate with him to hide her.

3. What have your birds brought to your life?


Love, a lot of laughter and sometimes tears but above all a new outlook on to how to live one's life. Watching my kids grow up was one thing but watching birds grow up bumps that up several notches.

4. What have you learned from sharing your life with your birds?


Birds are very much like people except they can fly. They each have their individual personalities, likes and dislikes. There are social groups, cliques and bffs - good, well-behaved birds, trouble makers and naughty ones who will get up to mischief in a nano-second if you don't watch them. Some are very much like 2 year old with the teenage "I know it all" attitude.

5. What's one birdie memory that will stay with you forever?


My first Quaker, Kiwi, and I just wish I'd been able to save her. She died of pneumonia and I took her in to the vet as soon as I noticed that there was something wrong but it was too late. I'd give my eyeteeth to be able to go back and spot the trouble earlier and take her in. Or to have known about Dr. Sakas at that time.

6. Where is your birds main living area?


My birds live in a third of the family room. It's curtained/screened off so that the birds can be kept in one area and or put to bed whenever necessary. The entire room size is 32' by 22'.

7. Did you change things in your home to accommodate your birds and if so what kinds of things did you change?


Yes. A lot of the household practices changed. No more non-stick cookware, candles or room deodorizers. No personal hygiene products that are aerosols. What type of insecticides/pesticides and household cleaners were changed out from aerosols to insect traps that would not affect the birds respiratory systems. Ceiling fans were disconnected or removed. The birds' room has full spectrum lighting as well as air filters/purifiers running (the latter 24/7). Larger windows have special decals n them so that the birds can see them (both indoor and outdoor birds) and avoid flying into them. Since the bird room is part of a room that runs the entire width of the back of the house, the kitchen light is switched off and the darkened kitchen in the middle of the house acts as a buffer zone to reduce the chance of the birds flying into the front room or any of the bedrooms.

8. Are you involved in any kind of bird related group or activities?


Not really, I'm on AA and visit another forum, TF, that used to be much more active. I prefer to stay in the background as much as possible and have been called "shy" until people get to know me.

9. What is the one luxury item you would love to have for your bird(s)?


I'd love to have either an enclosed porch or deck or an actual aviary attached to the house so that the flock could enjoy summer weather and a larger less restricted flying space. Due to the area where I live, it would have to be heated in winter.

10. Is there any bird that you dream of owning and if so why?


Though there are several birds that I find gorgeous, I'm somewhat intimidated by the larger ones like the macaws. There are some smaller ones like the hawkheads, caiques and pois but I'm happy sticking to the birds I have. Though there is one very flirty too up in Wisconsin (@Macawnutz) who could come live with us any time.

11. Describe a typical day with you at home with your birds.


Weekdays I'm up @ six and change out everyone's water bowls. Change out food if necessary and put out any fresh food. I usually wait until almost 8 a.m. to open the blinds & curtains to the bird room "morning before I leave for work with "bye-bye, birds" "be good birds" to which I get "behave - be good birds" in reply. I usually get home around 5 with a "hello birds, I'm home" which is usually greeted by a chorus of screams, yells and calls from the bird room. The tiels are free flighted all the time and when I get home I secure any nest boxes (whether they have real eggs or not) so no-one else can get in and let the gccs, Quakers and budgies out.

Anyone who can fly has access to the entire family room and kitchen to fly laps and stop at the Wingdow in the bay window of the family room or the snack stands in the family room and kitchen. The tiels and the gccs use the Wingdow and snack stands - for the most part the Quakers stick to the family room snack stations on top of cages.

The girl Quakers, Loofa & Daisy are out all day - Loofa can fly but since Daisy can't she won't leave the cage unless spooked. Around 8 I start doing the "nite-nite" routine for everyone - the budgies, Quakes and some of the gccs head to bed as soon as I start announcing it's bed time. Others will wait until I've switched off the lights and then I have to round them up with a flashlight and make sure everyone is in bed.


12. What have you learned about owning birds that you would like to share?


Be very, very patient, and extremely vigilant at all times (you need eyes in the back of your head). Try to think like and view things from a bird's point of view. My birds can freak out suddenly and then be absolutely quiet - it usually means that there's a hawk in the back garden. Then they sometimes freak out and keep on freaking out - it usually means there's either a cat or a meter reader in the back garden. And then there's the freaking out because someone in the flock is aggravating someone else.

13. If you knew then what you know now about birds, what would you do differently?


I probably wouldn't have as much of a variety of birds as I presently have. Having Kiwi lead me to get tiel Sonny as a companion for her; fortunately for all involved, the two hit it off and were best buds. Since that time in 2007/2008 I know that adding a companion bird can not only be dangerous but can backfire completely.

14. What other hobbies do you have?


I enjoy gardening, reading, wild birds, cooking and ethnic movies about life in other countries. I used to enjoy traveling but it's become too expensive and too much of a hassle.

15. Anything else you would like to share?


I'm surprised that I was chosen as Mayor of the Avenue. I just try to help people whenever I can and I don't expect anything for it. Thank you - it is an honour.
 

Holiday

Mac Mama
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:congrats5:
 

Sadieladie1994

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:jillone: :holiday1 Great interview and you will be a great Mayor!!!
 

Newbie GCC

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:congrats3: Well deserved!
 

lupe

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:loveshower: Congrats! !
 

CeciliaZ

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Cpngrats Sandra! Great interview - I didn't know you had such a large flock!
 

SandraK

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:devil: Does this mean I get an ermine trimmed cloak and a metal staff :twirl: to prod or beat people over the head with (when necessary)? :huh:
 

KimKim

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:congrats:
 

Clueless

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Congrats and .....
:devil: Does this mean I get an ermine trimmed cloak and a metal staff :twirl: to prod or beat people over the head with (when necessary)? :huh:
No!!!
 

Hankmacaw

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Congratulations Sandra. I'm sure that Macawnutz would loan you a macaw for awhile.
 

SandraK

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Macaws are gorgeous and, while I admire them immensely, they are way out of my league. I think @Macawnutz she knows I'd take Nikki in a heartbeat though she might have 2nd thoughts after I posted the video of Prince's version of Darling Nikki. I do know that hubby Fred fell for Nikki hook, line and sinker. She was such a flirt it was almost embarrassing. If Nikki could lap dance, I'm sure she would've tried it on him but as it was the leaning in and cuddle factor completely won him over.

I have probably done more things that shouldn't be done with birds than I knew about before I joined TF or this forum. Having companions, specifically birds, is a learning curve because they, like people, did not come out of a cookie cutter. :wideyed:
 

saroj12

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Congratulations Sandra! :yah:
 

cupoftea

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Congratulations and great interview!! :cheer:
 

ConureTiel

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Congratulations, Sandra! What a flock you have!
:feedpigeons:
 

Lo_

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Congratulations!! :laughing12: :dance4: :dance4:

:congrats:
 

WeasleyLover

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Congratulations, Sandra! :dance4: :hug8: :dance4:
 
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