Shade
Crazy for Pois!
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
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 Victoria as June'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)?
Charlie--two year old female CAG
Bella--two year old female CAG
2. What got you interested in birds?
Growing up with my dad in the Army we moved around a lot, one of our moves we ended up living in Yelm, WA. While visiting a local pet shop when I was 10 I instantly fell in love with a normal grey male Cockatiel and I have been in love with birds ever since! I also majored in Animal Science while in college and got Charlie as a present to myself when I was done! Lol
3. What have your birds brought to your life?
So much happiness and pure joy! Cannot even begin to tell you how happy these babies have made me and I just hope I do the same for them! Although it's a constant cycle of cleaning, cooking, keeping the toy piles stocked and being an on demand head rubber..it's more than worth it to be their mom!
4. What have you learned from sharing your life with your birds?
That I am a lot less selfish than I thought I was. Before Charlie I spent more money than I care to admit on things for myself that really didn't make me happy--sure who doesn't love new clothes--but after you cut the tags off they aren't new anymore. Now I can't frivolously spend money because I have to make sure they have everything they need in terms of medical care, great (organic) food and lots of things to keep them stimulated...now my life isn't all about me..it's about the birds!
5. What's one birdie memory that will stay with you forever?
So many..and I could talk forever about all the awesome memories! One of the ones that sticks out the most in my mind is when Charlie and Bella met outside of the cage! I was more nervous than they were. I put both on the couch Bella said "who are you" to Charlie and Charlie gave her the stink eye and said "hi I'm Charlie bird" like she should know who she is. Charlie has also surprised me since she is the dominant one in the relationship..and I've never seen her act so confident
6. Where is your birds main living area?
They pretty much have taken over the house! I have some sort of birdie landing pad in each major area of my home that I spend time in. Charlie has her own room, it's the sunroom separated from the living room by a wall of windows and Bella has her cage in the living room. They can see/talk to each other when they have to be in their respective areas when I leave the house.
7. Did you change things in your home to accommodate your birds and if so what kinds of things did you change?
Well for one we bought the house with Charlie in mind! As soon as I saw the sunroom and how it was connected to the living room and the master bedroom I knew I eventually wanted to turn that into a Charlie bird room! Also the living room has 15+ foot high ceilings that make a good birdie airport
8. Are you involved in any kind of bird related group or activities?
Just AA and a few FB groups
9. What is the one luxury item you would love to have for your bird(s)?
Can I just have Saroj's bird room??!! Pretty pleaseeeee
On a more serious note I would like another EH cage (for Charlie) and Rabbit air purifiers (which I will be getting relatively soon)! They pretty much have everything else they could possibly want.
10. Is there any bird that you dream of owning and if so why?
Nope! Greys are the perfect-for-me species! Charlie has always been my dream bird and now I'm lucky enough to have two gorgeous Greys!
11. Describe a typical day with you at home with your birds.
The morning starts with the "Charlie and Bella morning squawk talk show"
(it's hilarious and always brings a smile to my sleepy face). Then get Charlie out of her sleep cage and we go to the kitchen to get my coffee and make birdie breakfast 
and change waters (and something for me). Then I sit on the couch with my food while Bella eats in her cage and Charlie eats on my lap or on the back of the couch. 
After they are done eating the girls play and fly around a lot (and of course showing off their amazing talking abilities!) for about an hour or two. 
Then Charlie accompanies to me to the bathroom so I can get ready for the day (by that time Bella is usually happily wood chipping in her cage or trying to find her pellets I have hidden around the cage). Usually by this time Josh leaves for work, but not before saying hi and kissing the girls! 
Then depending on what I have going on for the day work wise they spend the day playing/flying around with me in the living room and also help me with various household tasks. 
On nice days we sit outside for a while and watch the wildlife on the lake. 
By lunchtime they are usually tired so they spend some time in their "rooms" (what I call Charlie's room and Bella's cage) napping while I have lunch. 
Then usually I have a few errands to run so the girls get packed up into their carriers and go for a car ride. Then back to playing and doing cute birdie things! We don't have a set in stone schedule-- just so that in the future if it changes they hopefully won't have a hard time with it. Josh then comes home and we either make or go out for dinner (and the birds have their dinner), then Josh has time with Bella while Charlie takes a steam shower with me (I take a shower and she just hangs out and sings), then I hand Charlie off to josh to watch tv and have one on one time with Bella (usually we do a bit of training and lots of talking). Then it's birdie bedtime! 
(I promise it's a lot more fun than it probably sounds!)
12. What have you learned about owning birds that you would like to share?
These aren't "just birds" they are valued family members who have their own distinct personality and own thoughts! They are much more than your average pet! To me they are feathered toddlers that never grow up and yes they will throw the occasional temper tantrum!
13. If you knew then what you know now about birds, what would you do differently?
I would have researched more and had everything prepared! I bought Charlie on a total whim and I wouldn't recommend that to anyone getting their first larger bird (or any bird really)...for one it's EXPENSIVE and two it doesn't always turn out this well for the bird! Charlie and I both got extremely lucky that it was the perfect match! But I think it's safe to say that this impulse buy turned out to be the best decision of my life!
14. What other hobbies do you have?
I can have hobbies besides birds??!! I enjoy shopping, traveling (LOVE the Bahamas) reading (mainly lighthearted novels or silly stuff), movies and the usual girly stuff
15. Anything else you would like to share?
Hopefully everyone has a little bit better idea of my life with the Grey girl gang and I love having a community that understands and shares my passion for my babies!
I am so delighted to announce Victoria as June'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)?
Charlie--two year old female CAG
Bella--two year old female CAG
2. What got you interested in birds?
Growing up with my dad in the Army we moved around a lot, one of our moves we ended up living in Yelm, WA. While visiting a local pet shop when I was 10 I instantly fell in love with a normal grey male Cockatiel and I have been in love with birds ever since! I also majored in Animal Science while in college and got Charlie as a present to myself when I was done! Lol
3. What have your birds brought to your life?
So much happiness and pure joy! Cannot even begin to tell you how happy these babies have made me and I just hope I do the same for them! Although it's a constant cycle of cleaning, cooking, keeping the toy piles stocked and being an on demand head rubber..it's more than worth it to be their mom!
4. What have you learned from sharing your life with your birds?
That I am a lot less selfish than I thought I was. Before Charlie I spent more money than I care to admit on things for myself that really didn't make me happy--sure who doesn't love new clothes--but after you cut the tags off they aren't new anymore. Now I can't frivolously spend money because I have to make sure they have everything they need in terms of medical care, great (organic) food and lots of things to keep them stimulated...now my life isn't all about me..it's about the birds!
5. What's one birdie memory that will stay with you forever?
So many..and I could talk forever about all the awesome memories! One of the ones that sticks out the most in my mind is when Charlie and Bella met outside of the cage! I was more nervous than they were. I put both on the couch Bella said "who are you" to Charlie and Charlie gave her the stink eye and said "hi I'm Charlie bird" like she should know who she is. Charlie has also surprised me since she is the dominant one in the relationship..and I've never seen her act so confident
6. Where is your birds main living area?
They pretty much have taken over the house! I have some sort of birdie landing pad in each major area of my home that I spend time in. Charlie has her own room, it's the sunroom separated from the living room by a wall of windows and Bella has her cage in the living room. They can see/talk to each other when they have to be in their respective areas when I leave the house.
7. Did you change things in your home to accommodate your birds and if so what kinds of things did you change?
Well for one we bought the house with Charlie in mind! As soon as I saw the sunroom and how it was connected to the living room and the master bedroom I knew I eventually wanted to turn that into a Charlie bird room! Also the living room has 15+ foot high ceilings that make a good birdie airport
8. Are you involved in any kind of bird related group or activities?
Just AA and a few FB groups
9. What is the one luxury item you would love to have for your bird(s)?
Can I just have Saroj's bird room??!! Pretty pleaseeeee
On a more serious note I would like another EH cage (for Charlie) and Rabbit air purifiers (which I will be getting relatively soon)! They pretty much have everything else they could possibly want.10. Is there any bird that you dream of owning and if so why?
Nope! Greys are the perfect-for-me species! Charlie has always been my dream bird and now I'm lucky enough to have two gorgeous Greys!
11. Describe a typical day with you at home with your birds.
The morning starts with the "Charlie and Bella morning squawk talk show"
(it's hilarious and always brings a smile to my sleepy face). Then get Charlie out of her sleep cage and we go to the kitchen to get my coffee and make birdie breakfast and change waters (and something for me). Then I sit on the couch with my food while Bella eats in her cage and Charlie eats on my lap or on the back of the couch. After they are done eating the girls play and fly around a lot (and of course showing off their amazing talking abilities!) for about an hour or two. Then Charlie accompanies to me to the bathroom so I can get ready for the day (by that time Bella is usually happily wood chipping in her cage or trying to find her pellets I have hidden around the cage). Usually by this time Josh leaves for work, but not before saying hi and kissing the girls! Then depending on what I have going on for the day work wise they spend the day playing/flying around with me in the living room and also help me with various household tasks. On nice days we sit outside for a while and watch the wildlife on the lake. By lunchtime they are usually tired so they spend some time in their "rooms" (what I call Charlie's room and Bella's cage) napping while I have lunch. Then usually I have a few errands to run so the girls get packed up into their carriers and go for a car ride. Then back to playing and doing cute birdie things! We don't have a set in stone schedule-- just so that in the future if it changes they hopefully won't have a hard time with it. Josh then comes home and we either make or go out for dinner (and the birds have their dinner), then Josh has time with Bella while Charlie takes a steam shower with me (I take a shower and she just hangs out and sings), then I hand Charlie off to josh to watch tv and have one on one time with Bella (usually we do a bit of training and lots of talking). Then it's birdie bedtime! (I promise it's a lot more fun than it probably sounds!)12. What have you learned about owning birds that you would like to share?
These aren't "just birds" they are valued family members who have their own distinct personality and own thoughts! They are much more than your average pet! To me they are feathered toddlers that never grow up and yes they will throw the occasional temper tantrum!
13. If you knew then what you know now about birds, what would you do differently?
I would have researched more and had everything prepared! I bought Charlie on a total whim and I wouldn't recommend that to anyone getting their first larger bird (or any bird really)...for one it's EXPENSIVE and two it doesn't always turn out this well for the bird! Charlie and I both got extremely lucky that it was the perfect match! But I think it's safe to say that this impulse buy turned out to be the best decision of my life!
14. What other hobbies do you have?
I can have hobbies besides birds??!!
I enjoy shopping, traveling (LOVE the Bahamas) reading (mainly lighthearted novels or silly stuff), movies and the usual girly stuff 15. Anything else you would like to share?
Hopefully everyone has a little bit better idea of my life with the Grey girl gang and I love having a community that understands and shares my passion for my babies!
Wow, great interview!
I'm so happy for you! This is a well-deserved award! 
..
by camping out on top of the wall that separates the kitchen from living room (the wall doesn't go to the ceiling so it has a nice ledge that makes a fun hangout area for Bella).
