Helitorian
New member
Con, my fully flighted Jenday, escaped on Wednesday. She had tried landing on my shoulder as I turned to close the front door and zoomed right outside. She landed in our neighbor's huge tree and seemed confused as to where she was while I freaked out underneath. We've been doing some flight training but she was too scared to listen when I called. Four hours later, she had moved to a 70 foot cotton wood two cabins down just as the sun was setting. I couldn't do anymore; I had to go in for the night.
Barker and I cuddled while we listened to a storm head out way. The wind picked up and the temperature fell. Barker wouldn't go to the bed in the cathouse her and Con use at night until I put her there myself and even then she kept her head poked out making little questioning noises. It broke my heart that her "sister", my little girl, was gone. I set my alarm for 6:30 and called into work. There was no way I could just give up on her.
The next morning, I was up at 5 waiting for the sun to take it's time coming up and finally it was 6:30. I went out front and called for her but got nothing. She had probably gotten blown away by the wind from last night but thankfully it hadn't rained. I went inside to wake Barker and cuddle with her on the couch thinking maybe it was still too early for her to be awake; none of the native birds were really up yet.
That's when I heard the first scream. Barker heard it too and called back as I set her on their cage before rushing outside. As soon as I hit the grass, Con let loose with her squawks demanding to know why I hadn't come to pick her up yet (cause apparently I'm magical and can climb 70 foot trees) and why she had to spend the night with all the other noisy birds without her sister. I called once and held my hand out. I could see her yellow head pacing back and forth in the sea of green before she launched herself and flew across the rooftops to land in the tree above me. A few minutes of monkey-ing her way down, she hung upside down on the end of a spindly branch then fluttered to my hand. Ignoring the food in my other hand, she cuddled under my chin as we went inside.
I sobbed into her back while she preened my hair and Barker hurried over in her odd way to welcome her sister and give her a good talking to (Barker had been so worried that she hadn't gotten a good night's sleep). We promptly cuddled in their favorite blue hoodie and while I made a vet appointment, the girls fell fast asleep on my hand, Barker with her face tucked into Con's neck.
Con now has a very light clip that she will keep until I have my own home and aviary for her to fly in. I have no wish to repeat her adventures again and have a suspicion that she doesn't want to either (it was cold, Mom!).
I know it is my fault that it happened in the first place letting her be flighted but in a way I believe that it helped her. If Con hadn't had the experience and trusted her wings, I doubt she would have taken the dive from the top of the cottonwood. I would also like to think it was her missing me so much that brought her screaming back and not the food in my hand but I'll never know
. I'm just glad to have my Pumpkin Head back safe and sound even if she is a little irritated with her clip.
Barker and I cuddled while we listened to a storm head out way. The wind picked up and the temperature fell. Barker wouldn't go to the bed in the cathouse her and Con use at night until I put her there myself and even then she kept her head poked out making little questioning noises. It broke my heart that her "sister", my little girl, was gone. I set my alarm for 6:30 and called into work. There was no way I could just give up on her.
The next morning, I was up at 5 waiting for the sun to take it's time coming up and finally it was 6:30. I went out front and called for her but got nothing. She had probably gotten blown away by the wind from last night but thankfully it hadn't rained. I went inside to wake Barker and cuddle with her on the couch thinking maybe it was still too early for her to be awake; none of the native birds were really up yet.
That's when I heard the first scream. Barker heard it too and called back as I set her on their cage before rushing outside. As soon as I hit the grass, Con let loose with her squawks demanding to know why I hadn't come to pick her up yet (cause apparently I'm magical and can climb 70 foot trees) and why she had to spend the night with all the other noisy birds without her sister. I called once and held my hand out. I could see her yellow head pacing back and forth in the sea of green before she launched herself and flew across the rooftops to land in the tree above me. A few minutes of monkey-ing her way down, she hung upside down on the end of a spindly branch then fluttered to my hand. Ignoring the food in my other hand, she cuddled under my chin as we went inside.
I sobbed into her back while she preened my hair and Barker hurried over in her odd way to welcome her sister and give her a good talking to (Barker had been so worried that she hadn't gotten a good night's sleep). We promptly cuddled in their favorite blue hoodie and while I made a vet appointment, the girls fell fast asleep on my hand, Barker with her face tucked into Con's neck.
Con now has a very light clip that she will keep until I have my own home and aviary for her to fly in. I have no wish to repeat her adventures again and have a suspicion that she doesn't want to either (it was cold, Mom!).
I know it is my fault that it happened in the first place letting her be flighted but in a way I believe that it helped her. If Con hadn't had the experience and trusted her wings, I doubt she would have taken the dive from the top of the cottonwood. I would also like to think it was her missing me so much that brought her screaming back and not the food in my hand but I'll never know
. I'm just glad to have my Pumpkin Head back safe and sound even if she is a little irritated with her clip.
