expressmailtome
Ripping up the road
Administrator
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
- Joined
- 4/15/10
- Messages
- 50,094
- Real Name
- Matthew
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 happy to announce that Birdie Mama is October's Mayor of the Month.
I enjoyed reading your interview, and am sure that everyone else will as well!
1. What kind of birds do you have (age, species and names)?
I have a high red, yellow sided, green cheek conure named Bailey. He is just over 2 years old now.
2. What got you interested in birds?
I grew up on a farm in Ontario, so have always been surrounded by animals, but never a pet bird. In grade 6 or 7, it was my responsibility along with a class mate, to look after the 2 budgies in the principal‘s office. At the end of the school year, I got to take him home and keep. Sadly the female had passed away.
I have had different birds and species for the last 42 years.
3. What have your birds brought to your life?
Don’t even know where to begin…definitely taught me patience, empathy, unconditional love, to name a few.
4. What have you learned from sharing your life with your birds?
In many ways they have taught me to be satisfied with the basics in life. Food, shelter, health, everything else are bonuses.
5. What's one birdie memory that will stay with you forever?
I have many but 3 stick out the most…
Squeaky, my love bird for 17 years, on my turning around from being distracted, and seeing him taking a bath in my husband’s wine glass. ( at least I got to drink mine )
Pixie, my parrotlet for 12 years, getting scared by outside noise and dashing, in the blink of an eye, into my armpit for protection. Never even saw her coming!
And Bailey now, landing on our shoulders saying “hey monkey, what you doing?” Or mumbling under his breath ‘what’s your problem?’ When we ask him to be quiet…
Those are fuzzy warm memories and feelings and will be with me forever.
6. Where is your birds main living area?
All of our birds have always lived in the dining room so they could be with us all the time. Have all been flighted so could explore and visit us whenever they wanted. I live in an apt, so it’s the most logical place so they are not on their own, and this continues with Bailey now..
7. Did you change things in your home to accommodate your birds and if so what kinds of things did you change?
I did become more aware of ceiling fans or open doors, but mostly sad to say, I did not learn about the majority of possible dangers till I joined this forum. Numerous things I never practiced such as using candles, sprays etc., and is probably why all of our birds except for 2 lived into old age.
8. Are you involved in any kind of bird related group or activities?
No, only AA and ‘talkparrotlet' website which helped me when I got Pixie as I knew nothing of the breed but she was a rescue from a bad petsore so had to learn quick. That’s what brought me to AA when I had issues with my lovebird and then was thinking of getting Bailey.
9. What is the one luxury item you would love to have for your bird(s)?
A larger living room-dining room and a manzanita bird tree stand that i see so many have.
10. Is there any bird that you dream of owning and if so why?
Not really until i saw the blue quakers, or a white bellied caique. Now I think of them quite a bit…
Though seriously, my ultimate dream is just to have a healthy and happy buddy.
11. Describe a typical day with you at home with your birds.
I get up about 6:15, and take Kira, our mini Aussie shepherd out. I get back by 8, when Kira gets her treats and cuddle time with hubby and I make Bailey his breakfast, of fresh and frozen veggies. I then spend time on AA, seeing what happened overnight, and then play time. Bailey is out till about 9:45. I leave for work but am in and out all day as I am the property manager for 3 buildings so am on site all day. Hubby is retired so Bailey gets attention throughout the day. Hence his little ‘hey monkey, what you doing’ everytime hubby walks into the kitchen area, then he is back out of the cage by 5 till bedtime around 9 pm.
12. What have you learned about owning birds that you would like to share?
So many things too numerous to list, but my biggest takeaway is to never hesitate to ask questions and ask for help and do lots of research…
the days of buying a bird as a decorative little sound maker in a cage are long gone. there is so much awareness of them as being little individuals with specific needs was a large learning curve for me. Always believed in the birds being out of the cage but never realized everything else that came with it, food, diet, fresh food, vet checks etc…
13. If you knew then what you know now about birds, what would you do differently?
That’s a real tough one as there are so many things, but getting much bigger cages even though the birds have spent hours a day out of the cage, numerous toys and changing them regularly so they have mental stimulation and much much better & varied diets. Those would be my biggest regrets looking back.
14. What other hobbies do you have?
I enjoy cross stitching, reading, camping, simple things to do with the outdoors and animals.
15. Anything else you would like to share?
I just wanted to say thank you for considering me for this, I always look forward to the 1st of the monthly to see who was picked this month, I never ever thought this honour would happen to me and that it would be me one month, and is one that I will treasure always.
If many feel like me that ‘ I have nothing helpful to contribute‘, Every little bit from every one may make a big difference for someone’s little buddy!
thank you once again for this honour.
Manon & Bailey
I am happy to announce that Birdie Mama is October's Mayor of the Month.
I enjoyed reading your interview, and am sure that everyone else will as well!
1. What kind of birds do you have (age, species and names)?
I have a high red, yellow sided, green cheek conure named Bailey. He is just over 2 years old now.
2. What got you interested in birds?
I grew up on a farm in Ontario, so have always been surrounded by animals, but never a pet bird. In grade 6 or 7, it was my responsibility along with a class mate, to look after the 2 budgies in the principal‘s office. At the end of the school year, I got to take him home and keep. Sadly the female had passed away.
I have had different birds and species for the last 42 years.
3. What have your birds brought to your life?
Don’t even know where to begin…definitely taught me patience, empathy, unconditional love, to name a few.
4. What have you learned from sharing your life with your birds?
In many ways they have taught me to be satisfied with the basics in life. Food, shelter, health, everything else are bonuses.
5. What's one birdie memory that will stay with you forever?
I have many but 3 stick out the most…
Squeaky, my love bird for 17 years, on my turning around from being distracted, and seeing him taking a bath in my husband’s wine glass. ( at least I got to drink mine )
Pixie, my parrotlet for 12 years, getting scared by outside noise and dashing, in the blink of an eye, into my armpit for protection. Never even saw her coming!
And Bailey now, landing on our shoulders saying “hey monkey, what you doing?” Or mumbling under his breath ‘what’s your problem?’ When we ask him to be quiet…
Those are fuzzy warm memories and feelings and will be with me forever.
6. Where is your birds main living area?
All of our birds have always lived in the dining room so they could be with us all the time. Have all been flighted so could explore and visit us whenever they wanted. I live in an apt, so it’s the most logical place so they are not on their own, and this continues with Bailey now..
7. Did you change things in your home to accommodate your birds and if so what kinds of things did you change?
I did become more aware of ceiling fans or open doors, but mostly sad to say, I did not learn about the majority of possible dangers till I joined this forum. Numerous things I never practiced such as using candles, sprays etc., and is probably why all of our birds except for 2 lived into old age.
8. Are you involved in any kind of bird related group or activities?
No, only AA and ‘talkparrotlet' website which helped me when I got Pixie as I knew nothing of the breed but she was a rescue from a bad petsore so had to learn quick. That’s what brought me to AA when I had issues with my lovebird and then was thinking of getting Bailey.
9. What is the one luxury item you would love to have for your bird(s)?
A larger living room-dining room and a manzanita bird tree stand that i see so many have.
10. Is there any bird that you dream of owning and if so why?
Not really until i saw the blue quakers, or a white bellied caique. Now I think of them quite a bit…
Though seriously, my ultimate dream is just to have a healthy and happy buddy.
11. Describe a typical day with you at home with your birds.
I get up about 6:15, and take Kira, our mini Aussie shepherd out. I get back by 8, when Kira gets her treats and cuddle time with hubby and I make Bailey his breakfast, of fresh and frozen veggies. I then spend time on AA, seeing what happened overnight, and then play time. Bailey is out till about 9:45. I leave for work but am in and out all day as I am the property manager for 3 buildings so am on site all day. Hubby is retired so Bailey gets attention throughout the day. Hence his little ‘hey monkey, what you doing’ everytime hubby walks into the kitchen area, then he is back out of the cage by 5 till bedtime around 9 pm.
12. What have you learned about owning birds that you would like to share?
So many things too numerous to list, but my biggest takeaway is to never hesitate to ask questions and ask for help and do lots of research…
the days of buying a bird as a decorative little sound maker in a cage are long gone. there is so much awareness of them as being little individuals with specific needs was a large learning curve for me. Always believed in the birds being out of the cage but never realized everything else that came with it, food, diet, fresh food, vet checks etc…
13. If you knew then what you know now about birds, what would you do differently?
That’s a real tough one as there are so many things, but getting much bigger cages even though the birds have spent hours a day out of the cage, numerous toys and changing them regularly so they have mental stimulation and much much better & varied diets. Those would be my biggest regrets looking back.
14. What other hobbies do you have?
I enjoy cross stitching, reading, camping, simple things to do with the outdoors and animals.
15. Anything else you would like to share?
I just wanted to say thank you for considering me for this, I always look forward to the 1st of the monthly to see who was picked this month, I never ever thought this honour would happen to me and that it would be me one month, and is one that I will treasure always.
If many feel like me that ‘ I have nothing helpful to contribute‘, Every little bit from every one may make a big difference for someone’s little buddy!
thank you once again for this honour.
Manon & Bailey
Fantastic interview! Congratulations! 
