Catschair
Many, many years ago, two small black kittens were born on a summer day in Los Angeles. Although my arrival was not scheduled for several months, I insisted on being born immediately, so I could share my birthday with Coalie and Bluey. My parents had no idea how many animals would grace their house over the years to come. I never met a creature that I did not love, so my house was shared by a wide range of finned, feathered, scaled and furry friends. People were fine, but they could go home after one slumber party!
The years went on and I wandered off to go to college, continuing to accumulate animals and degrees as I made my way through Indiana and Minnesota, finally settling down to get a “real” job in New Jersey. It has been my pleasure and honor to work with a variety of talented individuals to provide medicines to cure or palliate illnesses for people and animals for almost twenty years. I spent 15 years there, finally working my way back to California with a collection of cats and birds. Over the years, I did a lot of volunteer work with children, especially through the Girl Scouts, but share my home only with non-deductible “kids”.
Since returning to California, I have become a true bird magnet, and many a fid with a sad story has landed on my doorstep. Since I do work a lot of hours, Magellan (my IRN) is my biggest bird, but she and her 30-odd fiblings keep me busy in my free time. I have a range of birds, including finches, canaries, budgies, cockatiels and the IRN, who keep my cats, Julie & Joshua, company.
In my extra hours of the day, I love to travel, read, research my ancestors, work with children and animals, and even….now and again….. sleep more than five hours!
I am amazed by the emergence of the internet society and am thrilled to be able to lend a hand in linking the global community of bird lovers, to facilitate sharing advice, warnings and stories that nobody without a bird would ever understand!
Heather_Bird
My name is Heather and I was born and grew up in Southern England. I trained as a secretary and hated it. Fortunately met Brian who became my husband and was able to give up office life for motherhood. I had four beautiful children and, once they were grown I was able to re-train as a stable manager and riding instructor and indulge my passion for horses. I also trained as a saddler and through that designed and manufactured a range of dog clothing. At that time I also became secretary of our county British Horse Society committee and later on was a horse welfare officer for the same organisation.
In 1995, we decided to emigrate to New Zealand. We settled quickly and well and have never regretted the decision. Brian continued his work with computers and we also set up a small sheep dairying operation on the small farm we had bought. I gave up horse riding when I found I no longer bounced when I fell off and I took to birds as an alternative source of interest, love and financial ruin. I have had birds all my life but was interested in breeding them. I got my first small aviary and about ten birds and from there the 'hobby' has grown to the point where I now have numerous aviaries outside, even more numerous cages inside and several hundred birds.
My twin birdy passions are for finches and lorikeets. I keep and breed many varieties of finches and canaries. My lorikeet collection is growing and I now have rainbows, musks and scalies. Also in my aviaries are quail, budgies, grass parakeets, cockatiels, Fischers lovebirds, quakers and a solitary crimson wing who is looking for a girlfriend. I hand raise quite a few of my babies and also work with the rehabilitation of orphaned or sick non-native birds in conjunction with our local veterinary practice.
I enjoy chatting with other birdy folk from around the world and take great pleasure in offering help and advice from my own experiences as well as learning new things from others.