ANN! No lips!!! ...they have no lips!!!!

Lin: Here's a churtle rescue to make up for your brutal abuse of the others!

Awww ... that is so sweet! I've rescued many from the road ... accidentally killed two in my lifetime, now I always rescue them when I see them crossing a road. I had to tell my husband to always take them to the side they are headed to or they will turn around. He didn't believe me until he tested it one time. They want to go the way they want to go, LOL.

Yep! they DO know where they want to go! When I lived in Madison (which is essentially a city amongst lakes with an isthmus running throught it) there was a bridge over the Yahara (connecting) river with marsh area nearby, that I had to cross every day. Once a duck flew up from the bridge (or jumped off it) right into my windshield. I got out crying because it looked dead on the side of the road, but when i got to it, it was stunned but eventually squawked loudly at me and headed back home.

(I think it said...A Flack YOU!).

They do SO have lips!They run right along the beak. If you don't believe me then you go kiss one & see.

See! Even Snow White knows yer fibbin'!

Hey, I've kissed birds before. Can you say the same?

Yep...kissed my little rescue dove ...but NO LIPS!!!

This is a photo taken Thanksgiving 2007. The cutie that I'm holding belongs to my sisters next door neighbor ... "Mango" is a Caique Parrot. His owner said she really needed to trim his beak and I was afraid that he might bight but he was the sweetest thing, loved giving kisses, loves people and loves attention!

Then JR, you didn't use your tongue.

Jamie: Is your little rescue Dove injured? Will you release it at some point? We have Mourning Doves down here, very common and I love their peaceful cooing sounds and watching them at the feeders and perched in the trees.

Oh Lin, I LOVE parrots (and they are so smart). I just couldn't get one because by the time I coud afford one I would likely not be able to outlive it. I believe it is not fair to an animal, particularly a very social one to do that (you don't know how many arguments I had with my mom as she became older about getting a 'puppy'!) I have a few life sized parrot sculptures around though!

No Ann, I would have but I think there is some law against tonguing a bird.

Yes Lin, the dove was only with us a couple of days. I have long had the same family group here, this was one of the relative youngsters. Inky frequently gets me up middle of the night to potty and so we went out one evening in July and he pointed me to the dove. It had an injured tail and could not fly so we brought him in and nursed him for a few days. Inky loved it because he likes birds so much (since we started 'babysitting' a neighbors parakeet when they are away). After it could 'make the perch' we decided to take it out in the grass, I brought my camera, but while I was setting it one handed, the dove burst from my other hand, swooped to the roof gutter, then before I could focus was off to the sky. Next morning he was right back out there with the rest of his family.

Here's a PIX of inky supervising: .......................and 'making the perch' with one of my faux parrots in the background:

So you didn't get the photo Jamie.... but you got something better instead right? That exhilarating feeling of watching Dovie take to the sky in all his/her glory. There's nothing like the feeling that gives you inside is there?

I love birds of all kinds but prefer them to be in the wild, LOL. We had parakeets years ago and they are about my speed when it comes to caged birds. The bigger they are, the messier they are, and the louder they are! Years ago we were on vacation on the other side of the state and we happened into a pet shop one day. Well, my husband had always wanted a big parrot but we ended up purchasing an Indian Ringneck Parrot which is a small parrot. We knew nothing about parrots but the shopkeeper told us it was a hand raised baby and eating well. It looked fine with all it's siblings but we got it home and come to find out the poor bird wasn't cracking seed, he was hungry! So we had to go buy one of those dropper thingies and mash his baby food up and feed him through the dropper for awhile until he began cracking and eating seed on his own. He grew to love fruit and broccoli too. Anyway ... that bird after the first year ended up being a one person bird, he hated me ... and would bite me whenever he got the chance! When my husband was home he'd let him out of the cage to sit on his shoulder and it got so he always wanted to be out of his cage! If he knew someone was home he would squawk and screech at the top of his lungs wanting to get out! Believe me ... even small parrots can be very LOUD! Parrots are very sociable birds and require a lot of attention. The Indian Ringneck can live for 30 years or more, we had him for the first six years of is life but there came a time when we realized we weren't home enough to give him the attention he needed so we found a lady who raised different types of birds. She had a young female Indian Ringneck and so we gave Sandy to her. After a couple of weeks those two birds became fast friends and Sandy was so happy to have a girlfriend. The lady thought Sandy was too old to breed but eventually they had a few clutches of eggs and babies.

Nope! even Inky was exhaultant! and we get to see them every day in good weather. It's funny, they are real shy and while they do use the birdbath in the early morning it seems they won't come to the normal feeders; I have the lower level sunporch and 2 garage roofs in a sort of triangle that I can see from my upstairs bath. Every morning, the 'family' gathers over the 3 roofs and from my own perch I can watch them. (or maybe they watch me...HA!) I first noticed the parents in spring of 2007, and, in spite of the more agressive birds, the 'Dove family' must consider this home base because older ones live on and new ones show up every spring. At least some stay.

Whoops! sorry Lin, we do-si-doed (this site is so slow). Yes, I considered a more senior parrot before I got Inky but that parrot loved his owner and hated me, it was clear! Amazing that they quickly decide. There was a guy in Key West though that had one and being a resident he could take thast bird to any restaurant or bar. After years of going there multiple times during the year, we got to know him and for whatever reason, his parrot liked me. It would sit on my shoulder while I ate ...OH, did I say 'sit'....HA!

Lin, have the painted buntings begun to arrive at your house yet this year? It's past time for them.