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 Judy as October's Mayor of the Avenue. She is a wonderful neighbor and asset to our community
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)?
I Have 5 parrots at this time.
Dexter-CAG-19yrs
Sunshine-CAG-14 yrs
Sterling-CAG-20+yrs-wildcaught
Izzy and MIa-BFAs-5 yrs
2. What got you interested in birds?
My grandmother when I was a very little girl had a little blue budgie named Pete. He talked up a storm and she use to kiss him on the beak and he would bite her so hard on her lip and she would laugh and laugh. She would say, "He is such a bird!" I knew I would have a budgie when I was older and I did! His name was Pete! Imagine that! He talked very well and chased my brothers around the house. I taught him well!
3. What have your birds brought to your life?
Smiles, happiness, lots of laughs definitely! They have taught me as I grew older that I am there for them as much as they are for me. It is my duty as a parront to make sure they are happy, healthy are enjoying their life as much as I enjoy them. My birds are my feathered children.
4. What have you learned from sharing your life with your birds?
Well, basically what I just said above! They have taught me patience, kindness and a willingness to understand that they depend on me for their care. They have taught me that sometimes my house is messy because I have happy birds and chaos is a lot of fun! I have learned to look into their eyes and see what they are trying to communicate. Everyday they awe me with their verbal abilities, feelings and clever minds.
5. What's one birdie memory that will stay with you forever?
I would have to say that after treating Dexter for his wing mutilation for over a year, the day he slightly lifted his wings and did a tiny flap really warmed my heart. He was as surprised as I was!
6. Where is your birds main living area?
Basically the living room is where they mostly congregate. I have a bed room as a bird room and they can fly in and out through the house.
7. Did you change things in your home to accommodate your birds and if so what kinds of things did you change?
Of course! We took the beds down and the furniture in the bird room to be. The birds took the wall paper down for us! Oh, and redecorated the closet!
8. Are you involved in any kind of bird related group or activities?
Well, besides AA, I belong to a very small forum that was the first one I ever belonged to. I also belong to several avian groups on Face Book and am a volunteer for Lost & Found Birds Worldwide.
9. What is the one luxury item you would love to have for your bird(s)?
I think every bird owner would love to have an outside aviary. I would love to have a room like Saroj does. But I guess realistically, I would like some crawlers and rope to make a great jungle like climbing gym for the bird room.
10. Is there any bird that you dream of owning and if so why?
Not really. I have my dream birds. I think one of the most beautiful birds I am attracted to is the St. Vincent's Amazon. Owning one is very unlikely but I just love them.
11. Describe a typical day with you at home with your birds.
I get up at 7Am, uncover Sunshine and turn lights on. Everyone gets fresh water. I chop veggies and fruits every day as needed. I warm Birdie Bread in the microwave and serve everyone breakfast.
After they eat I open cage doors and allow free time for about 3-4 hours. I interact with them, work on recall training, clean cages and bird room, give baths.
At 4Pm they get dinner in their cages. This is a dry mix, a few nuts, homemade Nutiberries, pellets. They come out for about 2 hours then they go in their cages for the night. I turn lights off around 8pm and Mike sings good night to them. Rinse and repeat the next day, so on and so on!
12. What have you learned about owning birds that you would like to share?
I think one important thing as bird owners that we must follow through with is providing our birds with cage free fun, flying, lots of toys that make them think. I have owned birds for over 30+ yrs and remember how diet was only seeds, a mirror the only toy and cage bound birds that stared at us through the bars was the norm. Every day I learn something new about keeping parrots. From the internet, CVAs, trainers, members here and friends I continue to learn. I think we all can learn and open up our eyes and minds. They ask us everyday for love and attention in ways only some can understand. I try my best to be one of those who truly understands.
13. If you knew then what you know now about birds, what would you do differently?
I would have provided a much more nutritious diet involving fresh foods. I would have provided foraging opportunities and a bunch of different toys to play with. I would have provided much larger cages then what I had so many years ago.
14. What other hobbies do you have?
I love to read! Especially detective, investigative and legal fictions. I love to do crafts, draw, simple photography and gardening.
15. Anything else you would like to share?
As people of the avian community we have to do all we can for our own birds as well as those in bad conditions and in rescues, to ensure that they have a soft place to land. A loving place to be accepted for who they are, whether a screaming banshee or a quiet plucker, they all deserve love and attention. Things will not change, unless we make the effort to change them for those who depend on us.
I am so delighted to announce Judy as October's Mayor of the Avenue. She is a wonderful neighbor and asset to our community
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)?
I Have 5 parrots at this time.
Dexter-CAG-19yrs
Sunshine-CAG-14 yrs
Sterling-CAG-20+yrs-wildcaught
Izzy and MIa-BFAs-5 yrs
2. What got you interested in birds?
My grandmother when I was a very little girl had a little blue budgie named Pete. He talked up a storm and she use to kiss him on the beak and he would bite her so hard on her lip and she would laugh and laugh. She would say, "He is such a bird!" I knew I would have a budgie when I was older and I did! His name was Pete! Imagine that! He talked very well and chased my brothers around the house. I taught him well!
3. What have your birds brought to your life?
Smiles, happiness, lots of laughs definitely! They have taught me as I grew older that I am there for them as much as they are for me. It is my duty as a parront to make sure they are happy, healthy are enjoying their life as much as I enjoy them. My birds are my feathered children.
4. What have you learned from sharing your life with your birds?
Well, basically what I just said above! They have taught me patience, kindness and a willingness to understand that they depend on me for their care. They have taught me that sometimes my house is messy because I have happy birds and chaos is a lot of fun! I have learned to look into their eyes and see what they are trying to communicate. Everyday they awe me with their verbal abilities, feelings and clever minds.
5. What's one birdie memory that will stay with you forever?
I would have to say that after treating Dexter for his wing mutilation for over a year, the day he slightly lifted his wings and did a tiny flap really warmed my heart. He was as surprised as I was!
6. Where is your birds main living area?
Basically the living room is where they mostly congregate. I have a bed room as a bird room and they can fly in and out through the house.
7. Did you change things in your home to accommodate your birds and if so what kinds of things did you change?
Of course! We took the beds down and the furniture in the bird room to be. The birds took the wall paper down for us! Oh, and redecorated the closet!
8. Are you involved in any kind of bird related group or activities?
Well, besides AA, I belong to a very small forum that was the first one I ever belonged to. I also belong to several avian groups on Face Book and am a volunteer for Lost & Found Birds Worldwide.
9. What is the one luxury item you would love to have for your bird(s)?
I think every bird owner would love to have an outside aviary. I would love to have a room like Saroj does. But I guess realistically, I would like some crawlers and rope to make a great jungle like climbing gym for the bird room.
10. Is there any bird that you dream of owning and if so why?
Not really. I have my dream birds. I think one of the most beautiful birds I am attracted to is the St. Vincent's Amazon. Owning one is very unlikely but I just love them.
11. Describe a typical day with you at home with your birds.
I get up at 7Am, uncover Sunshine and turn lights on. Everyone gets fresh water. I chop veggies and fruits every day as needed. I warm Birdie Bread in the microwave and serve everyone breakfast.
After they eat I open cage doors and allow free time for about 3-4 hours. I interact with them, work on recall training, clean cages and bird room, give baths.
At 4Pm they get dinner in their cages. This is a dry mix, a few nuts, homemade Nutiberries, pellets. They come out for about 2 hours then they go in their cages for the night. I turn lights off around 8pm and Mike sings good night to them. Rinse and repeat the next day, so on and so on!
12. What have you learned about owning birds that you would like to share?
I think one important thing as bird owners that we must follow through with is providing our birds with cage free fun, flying, lots of toys that make them think. I have owned birds for over 30+ yrs and remember how diet was only seeds, a mirror the only toy and cage bound birds that stared at us through the bars was the norm. Every day I learn something new about keeping parrots. From the internet, CVAs, trainers, members here and friends I continue to learn. I think we all can learn and open up our eyes and minds. They ask us everyday for love and attention in ways only some can understand. I try my best to be one of those who truly understands.
13. If you knew then what you know now about birds, what would you do differently?
I would have provided a much more nutritious diet involving fresh foods. I would have provided foraging opportunities and a bunch of different toys to play with. I would have provided much larger cages then what I had so many years ago.
14. What other hobbies do you have?
I love to read! Especially detective, investigative and legal fictions. I love to do crafts, draw, simple photography and gardening.
15. Anything else you would like to share?
As people of the avian community we have to do all we can for our own birds as well as those in bad conditions and in rescues, to ensure that they have a soft place to land. A loving place to be accepted for who they are, whether a screaming banshee or a quiet plucker, they all deserve love and attention. Things will not change, unless we make the effort to change them for those who depend on us.
I enjoyed completing the interview. It really makes you think how far we have each come where the care of our birds are concerned! 
Congrats Judy!
