That extra hour

Well we all turned our clocks back last night and it got me wondering...just what do the cockatiels think of some our strange habits? I know that if I told them that we have this odd custom of trying to change the daylight schedule, they'd just bob their little crests and continue about with their little cockatiel lives, uncaring that we humans do these things. The daylight filtering through the windows is the same. They start their cockatiel callings as soon as the sky lightens.They have no use for clocks, or our strange customs.

I tried to tell them that they got an extra hour with me today. they cared less about that statement, they know they will see me for about the same time anyways, as they continue to their cockatiel things. Viesa will sit on her eggs for the same amout of time, there is no extra hour there. Hansome will perch on the window sill and holler at the neighbors dogs and the birds outside. Eaglet searches for more egg hiding places. Pringles and Prince will follow Eaglet, while Cuddles chases them all. Rocky will serenade Sammi, who will ignore him and chew whatever she can get her beak onto. There is no extra hour anywhere for them.

So tell me again... why do we change the clocks?

Cyndi

H1N1 musings

Today, I am starting to show signs of life again... having been sick for the last 5 days and not even having the energy to switch on the computer but for a couple of minutes, has gotten me to thinking. With family and friends saying that maybe I have swine flu, but I think not as I wasn't that sick... to me just a bad cold. It brought to mind the day at work when I was asked if I was going to take the H1N1 vaccine. I had already declined the seasonal flu shot. I said," well I have to, I have birds" the point was lost on the asker at that time. She just left, shaking her head.

A few days later, we were again discusssing the H1Ni vaccine at work... it is a topic on many peoples minds, I guess, I mostly listen in, but Again I mentioned my birds. My co-workers know I have cockatiels, they know I am crazy about them, they still do not realize the connection of H1N1 and birds, but I do, because if the word avian is mentioned, I pay attention, and the "swine" flu or H1N1 flu is a mixed flu, comprised of human, swine and avian flu. When I mentioned that fact, someone actually said, "you should quarantine your birds before they give you the flu" . Say what? I have had my flock for years, they do not go outside freely, they haven't been exposed to any flu's, I must watch that I do not bring sicknesses in to them!

That got me thinking... can the H1N1 virus be passed to birds, as the flu virus is able to mutate somewhat? I need a vaccine for them! Honestly, I'm not going to get worked up over this... like I don't think I had the swine flu, I don't think I will sicken my whole flock. Talk about the thoughts you get when laying around with nothing better to do (well I had all kinds of stuff to do, and I managed to do some things, but I also rested more than my norn).

Anyways... I am still going to take the H1N1 vaccine at work when it is available, wouldn't want to sicken my birds... and especially myself or my family, but I'm not going to get all worked up. cautious yes, but not worked up,

Tutaloo, for now,

Cyndi

Here it is, another sunday morning... The weather is cooler, the boys are soon to be starting college and I am here just enjoying sitting with the flock. The wildlife is slowly returning to the neighborhood and I haven't seen my friend , Toni Hawk, around lately. I think she has gone off the more fruitful territory. Toni is the name I gave to the hawk. I don't know if she's a female, but all the research mentioned that the females are larger thn the males, and she's the largest of the 3 babie, so I gave her the feminine version of Toni.

Anyways this picture today was another photo I took of Toni, but from the front side as she rested on the top of a ladder in my neighbors yard. She seems to like my neighbors yard...

The cockatiels are up to their usual chatter from their cage... I currently have the girls out and flying around and the guys holloring from their cages. They can be quite noisy at times.

It is getting time for me to go clean some cages, such excitement, I know, but must be done.

anyways, tutaloo for now,

Cyndi

Meet a Flock member - Viesa

Not all that much is going on with the whole cockatiel flock... I suppose that's a good thing?

I've decided to introduce you to one of the flock members today in a random sort of way, no rhyme or reason to it...

Today, you will meet Viesa. Her full name is Traviesa, or Viesa, or even Vivi for short.
traviesa is spanish for mischievous girl, and she was that from the moment she entered my home. She is the boss and one hot chick, if you were to ask any of the male cockatiels. I can't let her out with the boys as they all fight and jostle each other in their attempts to mount her, worse, she invites it, strutting about with her tail up and that suggestive chirping. She also seems to always be sitting on eggs when not getting into trouble.

She is cuddly one minute and ripping up things the next. She is also the one who is always trying to rip the keys of the computer keyboard and prying the dvd drive open, for what, I don't know. She won't step up for the kids... I have no problem with that though. In an emergency, I would have to be around, or else...

She's the baby of the flock as well, only about 2 yrs old, seem much longer though. I don't know her parentage, but looks normal gray with a speckled breast and 1 yellow crest feather, toward the back, so there is pied in the mix.

Gee what else can I say, before I get you bored, maybe I better leave off now,,,

so Tutaloo for now,

Cyndi

Finally...

I've been meaning to set up this blog... like, since forever... I bit the bullet, and here we are. Several of you are no doubt familiar with my ezine and website, but as I've been so-o-o-o-o busy, I've haven't really done much on that front lately... did spend a gazillion hours on the graphic for the logo... all those birds are from my own flock and am still adding more to that logo. My cockatiels don't seem to want their photos taken often... I still keep trying. Of course it didn't help that my daughter kept swiping my camera and finally the camera broke (no not my daughters doing).

Now lets see, what's been going on in my life? The cockatiels are always keeping me busy. that will be ongoing, my middle child will be starting college in the fall, he started his own website design business in January and makes more than I do as A Nurse... I feel like I'm in the wrong career, but I'm so happy for him. My daughter is starting ninth grade, and my oldest is also in college...

Here is a beautiful picture of a young hawk... I was able to get to within 5 feet of him as he was sitting on a picnic table... Now you may be wondering what a hawk has to do with cockatiels, especially this particular hawk? This hawk dive bombed at my cockatiels, well at Hansome, the cockatiel, thankfully unsuccessfully. Here's what happened... one afternoon, Hansome was sitting on the branches of his favorite perch on the java wood tree I have set up by one of the wondows, Along comes myself and see Hansone sitting in the sun, about 1 foot from the open window (don't worry there was a screen there). Hansome starts his flirty whistle, so I whistle back, this goes on for a minute or so, whe suddenly there was the scream of a hawk, a flutter of wings and this bird flew betreen hansome and I. Hansome, thankfully, flew to the further recesses of the room, but my heart was beating a mile a minute... I don't know if a hawk would try to go through a screen window, and I'm not sure the screen is strong enough to stop a hawk if he were to try it. I flew upstairs and closed all the windows, no matter that it was 90 degrees out! It was noticeably quiet the rest of the afternoon, no birds could be seen or heard outside, even the squirrels and chipmunks went into hiding. Of course when I went upstairs to the bird's room, they all were trying to tell me about the hawk, boy were they noisy, but as soon as I left the room after closing the windows, they were very quiet as well. That hawk sat out on the roof of the neighbors house for several hours. I have seen that hawk a few times since then, including the day I took the picture posted here... I did take pictures of him when he had landed on the neighbors roof, but those pictures are no ways as clear as this picture here... I think he is a young coopers hawk, and he is very beautiful.

Well I think this is enough adventure for now, lest I bore you, so tutaloo for now,

Cyndi