Many years ago, I heard about two Lovebirds that
needed a home, on the same campus I was on. I knew nothing about birds, but I
headed off to speak to the other student regardless. He gave them to me without
question, but I could see that they were not well. You didn’t have to be a bird
fanatic to know that it was not naturally for their feathers to be wet around
the nares on their beaks. I sought help and was given some medication. I
remember having to put antibiotics in their water. But, by the next morning,
only one had survived. I called him Sir Salvador and from that day on we formed
a bond that I never knew was possible with a bird. He became notorious around
campus. He was with me almost all the time except for lectures of course. He
went back home on holidays with me and caught the Greyhound bus with me back to
Richards Bay. He went into the city with me, and usually preferred to be inside
my clothing if we were out walking. There was a franchise that sold freshly
squeezed juices, called Juicy Lucy I think, and he could recognise them by
their signage alone. He would alert me to them if he saw one by
bouncing up and down on my shoulder. I learned so much from him, and we were together
for a long time. Now, all these years later, I heard about two birds that
needed a home. The Budgerigar is called Sky, and he is just too gorgeous! Sol
is a special needs Conure parrot. He has a scissor beak, a foot deformity and
something wrong with his wing. Neither of them had a good start to life and
they show signs of trauma. But I try and make their lives as comfortable and
interesting as possible. They go camping with us, they go for walks on the
beach with us, and they love their trips out in the campervan. They
integrate very well with our dogs too. Phoenix is based on a combination of my
experiences with all the birds I have been lucky enough to look after. They
have brought us so much joy. I cannot imagine life without them.
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