September 2025 POTM Contest!! 💖

[LaManuka]

September 2025 POTM Contest!!!

This month's theme...

"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face"

We all remember that moment, when our eyes first met theirs, our hearts skipped a beat and we knew we were in love

(That little face! How could I not fall instantly in love with Lovejoy?!)

And whether your "baby" was a baby or a little more mature when that moment happened, we will never forget that instant when we knew that we would love them forever!

(Princess Peachie stuck in that pet shop with that awful single wing clip. Resistance was useless!)

(Lilly Pilly got off to a rough start but soon became my little Velcro bird!)

Or it may be that "love at first sight" blossomed between two of your birds, in which case we want to see that too!!

(Goodness knows that's how it was when these two first laid eyes on each other!)

No more than one "Official Entry" per member, but there is no limit on "Just For Fun" images. Don't forget to advise if the submission is an "Official" entry or "Just For Fun"!

Please ensure to include your bird's name in your post, and remember to observe safety guidelines.

You may use the application, software or image generator of your choice to caption or enhance your entry, and entries can be either a photo or a video, but any bird/s pictured must be your own.

Video entries are also permitted, and if you're not sure how to post one you can
access the tutorial by
clicking the link here.


The winner receives a free One Year Premium Membership to Parrot Forums, and the winning entry will be displayed on the Home Page for the following month.

Entries are open now and will close early morning on September 28 - times will vary depending on your local time zone.

At the end of the submission period, a 3-day poll will be held to determine the winner.

Good luck, everyone!

​

 

[OttoVonRuthless316]

I love this category @LaManuka

 

[GivemeSeedsorgivemeFlesh]

The only picture I have of Juliette before coming home was taken by the breeder, so I'm not sure that's allowed, but here is a video taken when she got home: Official entry for Juliette Helena Goldberry

 

[OttoVonRuthless316]

just for fun

Hope it's ok but if not first sight image, it's first real bonding, 2 days after adoption 9/10/21. we really bonded in this moment over cucumber.
he loves cucumber!

 

[LaManuka]

The only picture I have of Juliette before coming home was taken by the breeder, so I'm not sure that's allowed, but here is a video taken when she got home: Official entry for Juliette Helena Goldberry

Sure it's allowed, @GivemeSeedsorgivemeFlesh! I'm so happy to see precious little Juliette taking up residence in your heart and making her mark in my contest too, thank you!!

 

[LaManuka]

View attachment 81611
Official entry

Hope it's ok but if not first sight image, it's first time I fell completely in love with him. 2 days after adoption. I always loved him but we really bonded in this moment over cucumber.
he loves cucumber!

Yep, perfectly fine, @OttoVonRuthless316. That pic I used of Lilly isn't exactly a "first sight" photo either, but it certainly was the first time she was calm enough for me to take her photo. Besides which I know you were besotted with Otto at first sight anyhow Thank you for your entry!!

 

[onamom]

Wonderful theme!!! I’ll never forget the moment I first saw both of my girls.

First time I ever saw Ona. I can’t imagine my life without her! The way she snuggled up to me immediately and then I couldn’t stop thinking about her…

And Yuri! Just a completely random pet store and I saw her immediately. She sure saw me too and was soliciting all the attention she could get.

Just for fun

 

[LaManuka]

Well @onamom, I've only got one response to BOTH of these pics, and that is "aaaawwwwwwwwwwwww!!!!" No way you were EVER going to be able to resist either of those beautiful girls!!

 

[Vampiric_Conure]

OFFICIAL ENTRY: Vortex, in one of her first photos within my home .

 

[LaManuka]

OFFICIAL ENTRY: Vortex, in one of her first photos within my home .

View attachment 81624

Oh what a fabulous pic, @Vampiric_Conure, Vortex looks so relaxed and fluffy and happy in her new home!! Thank you for your entry!

 

[texsize]

Official entry.

Bella, first time we saw her.
We just knew she had to come home with us.

 

[nkrbkr]

This is the first time I felt like Ava and I were starting to bond, a few days after bringing her home. She had just received a spray bath and was so excited and happy, & looked so beautiful after. I have a feeling that was her first bath in quite some time. Official entry.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Just for fun, here's Rocky the budgie at a few hours old. Love at first sight doesn't begin to describe how we feel about our Rocky.
I'll never forget when Rocky was born on November 14, 2022. I wasn't even sure her egg was still viable after cooking in the incubator for almost three weeks. When I candled it that morning I ran into the living room where my husband was sitting screaming "There's a bird inside and it's peeping at me!" There was no hole in the egg yet, and we had no idea how long the hatching process would take. A day or two, maybe? Would he need any help? We both had to work from 3 to 9 so we reluctantly put the egg back in the incubator and went to work, prepared to keep vigil over The Egg until The Baby hatched. We had all the necessary supplies to hand feed our new baby but it was our first time and we were both very nervous.
When we got home from work at 9:30pm I ran to the incubator and there she was! She had broken out of the shell and was kicking and squirming around the incubator- a strong, healthy baby at 2 grams. I read that you shouldn't feed the newborn until "several hours" after hatching so we went to bed at 11pm but I didn't sleep. At about 2am I prepared her formula and sat on the floor because I was afraid of dropping her. I cradled her in my warm palm, head pointing up and supported between my thumb and forefinger. To my surprise and delight, as soon as I touched the edge of the baby-sized spoon to her little beak she began to lap up the formula and I watched it run down her esophagus into her crop. When her crop was nice and round, I wiped her tiny face and put her back in her incubator with a little stuffed Goldfinch to cuddle with. Later that morning, my husband John named her Rocky because she was a fighter and he was convinced Rocky was a boy. The feeding routine took over our lives for the next 30+ days as Rocky grew into the beautiful budgie she is today, loaded with personality. Rocky isn't a "sweet" budgie- she's so much more than that. She decided at a few months old that she didn't like hands and she set boundaries that we respect to this day. She's friendly, smart, fearless and independent, the alpha female of our flock, and is very bonded to us. She prefers our company to other budgies except perhaps for her cagemate and faithful manservant Beau, who adores her. We've raised two more babies since then but Rocky will always have a special place in our hearts.

Rocky's first baby picture.

After her first meal.

Now we must share our food with Rocky, including roast beef and cheese.

 

[LaManuka]

Official entry.

Bella, first time we saw her.
We just knew she had to come home with us.
View attachment 81632

Oh Wes, thank goodness you found Bella, she needed someone to love and understand her and that someone could only have been you.

This is the first time I felt like Ava and I were starting to bond, a few days after bringing her home. She had just received a spray bath and was so excited and happy, & looked so beautiful after. I have a feeling that was her first bath in quite some time. Official entry.

View attachment 81633

Ava's such a gorgeous big girl, well big compared to my Lovejoy anyway though I KNOW the size difference wouldn't slow him down - he loves big green hens! I'm so happy you were able to give her a loving forever home!

 

[OttoVonRuthless316]

Otto & Papa bonding- first time kisses.

official entry

 

[zERo]

When I brought Tony home

And Tom, he’s a little baby!

 

[LaManuka]

Otto & Papa bonding- first time kisses.

official entryView attachment 81639

Awwwwwwww, Otto and Papa are so sweet together!! I'll switch those entries for you, @OttoVonRuthless316, no worries!