Introducing my latest boarder bird

[The Outlaw]

Here's a shot of the 20 year old GW macaw that I'll have for the next week. She's big and not especially fond of me. I'll have to weave my spells quickly to win her over before her dad gets back. She ADORES him.

[Joel]

Wait till she sees that famous peach ice-cream of yours. Betcha she'll like ya then, especially if it is sitting on top of a waffle cone!..... Man, could I use one of those right now! Yummy. :)

[TooLover]

Shouldn't take you long to win her over. Heck, we all love ya!

[The Outlaw]

Well, I even made her my famous sweet potato soufle. That always wins them over but she simply refused to even give it a try. I think this little red head is going to play hard to get. Fortunately, my pine nuts arrived yesterday. MOOOWWAAAAAAHHAAAAAHAAAAAA!

THE OUTLAW

[The Outlaw]

I prepared some banana apple pancakes this morning and began my campaign of winning her through her stomach. She's a tough cookie, I tell ya. She won't eat if I'm in the room and he said she's a very picky eater to start with.

I refuse to let any bird hide in a cage, so I reverted to my bird sleeve and finally got her to step up. She is very prone to nail you when she can. I'm sure she'll be fine, for she was wonderful with Jeff, but she's no push over. I think that because she looks so much like my friend's Rainbow, the one that died from PDD that I fell in love with, I tend to forget that not all GWs are created equal!

In any event, its my plan to have her snuggling, happily by Monday at the latest. If you don't hear from me, just assume I've been hospitalized and they're still looking for the missing finger......or worse!

THE OUTLAW

[The Outlaw]

WE ARE SUCCESSFUL!!!

I have just spent the entire last hour smooching, depinning and just plain snuggling with Miss Eenie. She wanted a piece of me yesterday and early this morning, but I used my handy dandy sleeve, made her step up and took her to my office for some one on one mommy time.

Within about 10 minutes, she relaxed and I started rubbing her beak. That progressed to scratching her head that was TOTALLY full of pins. I figured, what the hell, and broke a few. She just settled down and got in "the zone". I depinned every single head feather and can do just about anything I want with her now. I'm doing cartwheels!

Either I'm good with birds or I have a rabbit's foot up my butt.
I may have to pay HIM to let me play with her this week. What a great big beautiful doll!

THE OUTLAW

[Joel]

No rabbits foot.....YOU ARE GOOD IMO and from the evidence! Congrats on another job well done.

[angie]

Ohhhh,my 18 y/o Greemwing Houdini would lovvee her...

[smallonion]

Nancy, you are AMAZING!! She must be thinking, "Thank GOD someone took care of those spiky pins! I was such an itchy bird!" I just knew you'd be successful. You are a bird whisperer, I swear. I wish you lived close enough to come over and have a try with Humphrey!

Michele and Humph

[The Outlaw]

No. No Bird Whisperer but I'm simply not afraid of birds. Knowing that on their best day, I'm over 2oo pounds heavier than them gives me a great advantage. You just have to be able to look into their eyes and see beyond their fear. I can't put it into words any clearer than that. And, I do not agree that its better to let a bird stay in a cage for days until it decides to come out. I have EVERY bird of the the cage within 24 hours and most long before that.

Take a bird away from its comfort zone, talk soothingly to it, stroke it gently and allow its natural fear to be replaced by simply letting go. Once there, its all over. They seem to realize that if you wanted to eat them, you would have.

Today Eenie is my best friend. She is happily on my shoulder and requesting an apple. She says that very clearly. However, when she says cracker, it doesn't mean a Ritz. I'm trying to figure out exactly what she wants. My birds would sell their souls for a Ritz cracker.

And for the record, I have NEVER bullied a bird in my life. I'm no cowboy. I don't have to prove a thing to anyone. I just think I'm able to somehow communicate that I love them and won't harm them. And, I'm a damn good cook.

THE OUTLAW