Birdboard Interviews-April 2005

[kvnband]

When did you join Birdboard?
I joined BirdBoard less than a year after it was started. At that time, there were only about 175 members, and I was just temporarily here to do some programming work for keev. Soon however, I believe he became overwhelmed with other jobs, and I was left to solely run the board. Keev came back a little less than a year later and the site had grown by leaps and bounds. And that is where we are today.

How did you learn about Birdboard and what drew you here?
Keev hired me to do some odd programming work, part of which was on BirdBoard. In the midst of my job, I believe he had some issues, and so I adopted BirdBoard as my own. The members here soon became like family to me.

What is the most important thing you have learned from Birdboard so far?
I honestly believe that I am one of the most knowledgable non-bird owners in the world today. Even though I do not own a bird as of now, I can help give advice sometimes. That really makesm e feel good.

What is your favourite part/aspect of Birdboard?
I believe my favorite part of BirdBoard is the people. We have such a broad range of personalities and backgrounds and everybody (besides the occasional psycho) is just great. I especially love it when I hear something good about BirdBoard that I have done. Really warms me up inside.

How many birds do you have?
As of now, zero. However, I intend on getting a Cockatiel over the summer.

What would your dream bird be if money were no object?
If money were no object, and Bald Eagles were allowed to be kept as pets, then definitely a Bald Eagle. They are by far the most beautiful creatures on God's earth. I have so much eagle paraphanelia that it's just almost to the point of being sad. I love them and always will.

Which bird magazines do you buy/subscribe to?
As of right now, none. But would love to have a subscription (Hint: Birthday is May 28)

Do you belong to any bird clubs?
No. Small town. Have checked and we do not have any clubs within 3 hours of here.


Favourite colour?
Blue

Favourite movie?
I am actually a movie fanatic. I do not have a single favorite movie. However, at the top of my list are:
The Blues Brothers
Anything with Adam Sandler
Anything with Chris Farley
Anything by M. Night Shamaylan

Favourite actor and actress?
Probably Brad Pitt, George Clooney, and Leonardo DiCaprio. No favorite actresses.

Favourite tv show?
Even though I have no time to watch TV, I watch Spongebob Squarepants whenever I can. My room is Spongebob. My bed is Spongebob. Half of my clothes are spongebob. A sad obsession, I know. I also watch Mad TV whenver at all possible.

Favourite singer/group?
Again, no single favorites here, but, in no particular order: Led Zeppelin, KISS, AC/DC, The Eagles, Kansas, Queen, Lynard Skynard, The Who, Aerosmith, America, Steve Miller Band, and whatever other classic rock bands I forgot. Yes, in case you're wondering, classic rock is all I listen to.

Favourite song/album?
Overall, my favorite song is 'Amazing Grace'. My mom used to sing it to me, and I grew to love it. However, I can listen to just about any song by any of the above bands.

Favourite ice cream?
Cookies and Cream

Favourite food?
The kind you eat (Yes, I am a big guy)

Favourite vacation (if you could go anywhere)?
On a road trip visiting all of my favorite BB people

Favourite non-bird animal?
Dogs - I will be sad when i go to college and have to part with my Ringo (named after Ringo Starr)

Favourite flower/tree/plant?
I love dogwood trees.

Who would you like to be stranded on a desert island with?
Probably Cliff, Jennifer Lopez, Nancy, Lauri, Mike, Keev, Jennifer Lopez, Joel, Steven, Monica, and Jennifer Lopez

Who would make you jump out of a plane if they sat next to you?
Even though I love the guy, James Brown would probably drive me absolutely nuts.

Who makes you want to throw a shoe at the tv?
George W. Bush. Something about the way he says the word 'NUCLEAR'!! (In case you've never heard him speak, he pronounces it nuke-ya-lur)

Whose face do you most enjoy seeing on a newspaper at the bottom of a bird cage?
Michael Jackson

Who were you in a former life (pretend you believe in it even if you don’t)?
Based on my personality, Chris Farley was actually Me in a former life. (Not sure if that sounds right. Chris Farley and I both act just about exactly the same, except I don't do drugs and am still alive)

What animal/bird were you in a former life?
Definitely a bald eagle. Definitely got that whole free spirit thing going on.

I like girls, computers, girls, sleeping, working on my car, spinach, and girls.

I hate jerks, smelly people, people who can't drive, phones, and getting mad.

I wish everyone in the world could just get along.

If I won a million dollars I would set aside 400,000 for myself and use the rest to build BirdBoard members aviaries (and probably have Joel bet me a couple thousand on a Jai-Alai game)

Before I die, I want to meet my favorite people (many from BirdBoard), have kids, eventually teach Emergency Response and Survival classes (I am very involved in the SERT (School Emergency Response Team) and the Wilderness Response Team (repelling down mountains to rescue people) and wish to continue both throughout my life), and save a life.

Any last words?
I hope everyone enjoys BirdBoard. I hope that I can continue to work on BirdBoard and eventually, when keev becomes old and decrepit, or becomes rich, take over BirdBoard. I would also like to remind everyone that you can ALWAYS come to me regarding issues with anything at the site. Whether the issues are good, bad, or ugly, I am here to help.
I hope everyone enjoyed this issue of the newsletter.
Kevin

[Tiki]

BIRDBOARD AND BIRD QUESTIONS

When did you join Birdboard?
Sept 2003

How did you learn about Birdboard and what drew you here?
I got an invite in my email, probably because I was a member of the Tiel list before?

What is the most important thing you have learned from Birdboard so far?
That I am not the only crazy bird lady in the world! That bird lovers are awesome people! On a more practical note I have learned heaps of things, like the importance of FS lighting for indoor birds, and how important it is to be prepared for breeding, even if only accidental breeding.

What is your favourite part/aspect of Birdboard?
The way most of the regulars all bond together like a family. I can’t believe how many good friends I have that I have never met in person! But hopefully that will be fixed on my upcoming trip to the States!

The theme of this issue is “Baby Birds” and the featured species is the Cockatiel. What advice do you have regarding baby birds and cockatiels?
I never intended to be a breeder. I used to let them do what they wanted and never had any eggs hatch so I though my birds were shooting blanks or something like that. Tiki was with Ariki first and she laid eggs on the floor and was incubating them. I gave in and bought a nest box to get her off the floor. No one was more surprised than I was when 2 baby tiels hatched in Oct 2003. Tiki and Ariki were very good about feeding the babies so I left them to do their thing. Sadly, the 2nd baby died in the night when he was 2 days old. The first one grew up to be Maui. Ariki died from egg binding the day after Maui fledged, it was a Sunday and I got her to the vet as quickly as I could but despite their efforts, she died in my arms.

About this time, since Tiki was with Ariki, Manu had a fling with Taina and she laid 4 eggs. She incubated them for a month but they never hatched. I though she was infertile (since obviously Tiki and Ariki were fertile) so I let her stay with the boys. She hooked up with Tiki after Ariki died and laid 6 eggs in late Dec 2003. I let her incubate them in the nest box, thinking they were infertile. Surprise again! All 6 eggs hatched! They fed the first 5 babies and much to my horror, rejected the 6th baby and threw him out of the nest box. I came home from work and almost stepped on him. I tried to handfeed him with a spoon, he was eating but not pooping. He made it through that night (2 days old) and I brought him to work in an ice cream container intending to handfeed him. I put out an SOS on the original Birdboard in Jan 2004 and Joel answered and tried to talk me through getting his temperature up (which I hadn’t known about). I got him through the work day and went to the vet straight afterwards. They gave him some electrolytes and cleaned his crop as it had soured by then. He rallied and I thought he would be OK but he passed away an hour after we got home. Since then, I have decided not to let my birds breed and keep the males and females separated when I am not home to supervise them.

How many birds do you have?
10 cockatiels. I will be getting a quaker soon.

How long have you had birds?
Only since Nov 2000, so about 4.5 years.

Who (of your fids) is your favourite bird (if any) and why?
Maui because he really bonded to me. I became his mother after Ariki died and most of his flight training was going from a cage to me. He is always the first one to welcome me home after work and has to have his smooches!

What would your dream bird be if money were no object?
Money doesn’t really enter into it so much. I would love to have a Macaw or African Grey, but they are so expensive here! I would have to meet a few before I would know if they are a good personality match for me. From what my friends tell me, I am sure a quaker would be a perfect match and I will be getting one at the bird show on 1 May. I love my tiels too, they never fail to make me laugh or cheer me up if I am depressed!

What drives you crazy about your birds?
Sometimes I let them out to fly around my room (all windows closed). When I want them to go back to their room, they fly up and sit on picture rails and make me chase them all over the room. Then I have to get the net, which doesn’t really help as they are experts at evading it!

What do you love most about your birds?
The love and affection they give me! The amusing things they do on their toys, they way they preen each other, they are such loving little birds!

What are the craziest/cutest things your birds say?
So far, most of the boys say “What are you doing?” which Manu taught them.

What is your favourite bird book and why?
Currently, Birds for Dummies and Guide to a Well-Behaved Parrot, because I like books that deal with bird behaviour. Also Diane Grindol's Cockatiel books.

Which bird magazines do you buy/subscribe to?
Parrot Society Journal which I get as a member, I buy Australian Birdkeeper off the rack sometimes and have just ordered Bird Talk from the States.

Do you belong to any bird clubs?
Parrot Society of Australia, but I don’t usually go to meetings, I just like the journal.

Do you breed birds?
LOL……not anymore I don’t!

What challenges do you find in breeding birds?
N/A


JUICY PERSONAL STUFF

Favourite colour?
Purple/turquoise

Favourite movie?
Gone with the Wind

Favourite actor and actress?
(all time) Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh

Favourite tv show?
Amazing Race, Survivor, the Apprentice, American/Australian Idol

Favourite singer/group?
Stevie Nicks/Fleetwood Mac, classic rock in general, Delta Goodrem (Aussie singer) also like Arabic and Polynesian music

Favourite song/album?
This changes almost daily-well at least weekly. I just heard one of the girls on American Idol sing “Anyone Who Had A Heart” that blew me away and I now have that song buzzing around in my head. Basically whatever song that touches me and relates to my mood at the time.

Favourite ice cream?
Right now, all I can have is Carb Options chocolate or vanilla. I love the Oreo Cookie Ice Cream under normal circumstances

Favourite food?
Pizza and pasta….but I can’t have it on my diet! :icon_sad:

Favourite vacation (if you could go anywhere)?
My dream trip would be to South America to see wild birds in the Amazon, Pantanal and Manu Biosphere in Peru. I love rainforests more than beaches but I do like to hear the sound of the sea, just not a “laying out” type of person.

Favourite non-bird animal?
Cheetah-for their elegance and grace. I could sit for hours watching them play in the Serengeti.

Favourite flower/tree/plant?
Hibiscus

Who would you like to be stranded on a desert island with?
Someone who can cook (because I can’t) and has a great sense of humour and a positive outlook on life. Ha ha…y’all thought I was gonna name a hunky movie star, didn’t you?

Who would make you jump out of a plane if they sat next to you? Ha ha, a couple women who shall remain nameless-no points for guessing! Also, anyone from my office……the last thing I want on a holiday is people from work around! Anyone who was noisy as I am a quiet person and usually try to sleep on planes.

Who makes you want to throw a shoe at the tv?
Donald Trump-I don’t understand why all these people on his show are so desperate to work for him, I wouldn’t want to!

Whose face do you most enjoy seeing on a newspaper at the bottom of a bird cage?
Osama Bin Laden, though he hasn’t been around for a while in the news.

Who were you in a former life (pretend you believe in it even if you don’t)?
Probably Mata Hari or Salome……definitely a dancer! I’d say Scarlett O’Hara but she was a fictional character….someone just like her though? I think I have had a few past lives!

What animal/bird were you in a former life?
I am becoming convinced I was a quaker in a former life, just going by what I hear about their personalities.

I like………………
BIRDS!!!! And people with a great sense of humour!

I hate…………………
Traffic, going to work, stupid and/or negative people, seafood

I wish…………………
I could eat whatever I want and not gain weight!

If I won a million dollars I would………………………….
Quit my job, invest it to provide a permanent income so I never have to work again. Hang out with my birds and laze around online all day. Maybe fly a few of my best friends (you know who you are ) to Australia to party and birdwatch, hire someone to clean my house, travel a bit more.

Before I die, I want to……………………………….
Do that trip to South America, preferably with a fellow bird lover!

Any last words?
My motto in life has always been “No Regrets!” I live my life so that I never have to look back someday and say “I wish I had…………..” or “Why didn’t I ………………when I had the chance?” In a previous thread, I wrote a poem about this:

NO REGRETS

I don’t regret the things I did
The times I took a chance
I don't regret the path I took
In life, love and romance.

I don’t regret the times I gave my heart
And still got burned.
For every heartbeat that I lost
Has long since been returned.

I may not always get it right
And often play the fool
But at least I had the guts to try
I guess that’s pretty cool.

I would regret chances missed
The things I didn’t do
Life is just too short to be afraid
I know that’s true.

Some say “Tread with caution”
Some say “Seize the Day”
I say “Seize the moment”
Don’t let it slip away

When time has passed and I look back
Upon the years gone by
I never want to ask “What if?”
Or ever wonder why……..

[Kevin]

BIRDBOARD AND BIRD QUESTIONS

When did you join Birdboard? I founded and started the site from scratch... The site was started for my sister
and she later dropped her interest and I ran with it and before you know it the site had a life of its own...

How did you learn about Birdboard and what drew you here? Hmmm see above question.

What is the most important thing you have learned from Birdboard so far?
Hmmm that’s pretty hard, seems every time I log onto the site you learn something new,
Whether it’s a small tip or general knowledge.

What is your favorite part/aspect of Birdboard? The members for sure...
The members make the site what it is... the sense of a community...


The theme of this issue is “Baby Birds” and the featured species is the Cockatiel.

What advice do you have regarding baby birds and cockatiels? (ignore this if you don't have babies or tiels)
Never had a true baby bird yet....

How many birds do you have? 1 as of now... Frankie, 8 Month old Pied Cockatiel Before I took a year or so hiatus from owning Birds...
I owned 10 Cockatiels

How long have you had birds? 10 Years

Who (of your fids) is your favorite bird (if any) and why?
Bagel was my best buddy before he got loose. He was 10 years old

What would your dream bird be if money were no object?
Hmmm Eagle of some sort, so when I go fishing he could save me some time and catch a couple

What drives you crazy about your birds?
The mess they make with seeds...

What do you love most about your birds?
Their personalities

What are the craziest/cutest things your birds say?
bwwwwwaaaaaalk !!

What is your favorite bird book and why?
Always have liked the Bird Talk or bird Times publications...

Which bird magazines do you buy/subscribe to?
Bird Talk and Bird Times

Do you belong to any bird clubs?
I'd like to say birdboard.com is a club of its own!




======= Part 2 ===========

Favorite color? Definitely Blues....

Favorite movie? Right now I would say the "band of brothers series"

Favorite actor and actress? Tom Hanks or Mel Gibson, Susan Sarandon, Julia Roberts, Meg Ryan

Favorite TV show? yea yea, Amazing Race, The Apprentice, Conan O'Brien

Favorite singer/group? Gin Blossums, ACDC, Yellowcard, Big & Rich, Bad Religion,

Favorite ice cream? Mint n Chip, Sorbet

Favorite food? not sure but probably would be spicy!

Favorite vacation (if you could go anywhere)?
I would travel the world for 1 year... non stop

Favorite non-bird animal? I would probably have to settle with mans best friend, I love dogs and there loyalty.

Favorite flower/tree/plant? Flower hmmm...
Probably not roses becuase all they do is cost me money lol!
I would say sun flowers, or wild flowers I see when i got mountain biking in the hills and make the air smell oh so sweet.

Who would you like to be stranded on a desert island with?
That would be a pretty easy one...
I would definitely say a hottie I could call my wife, my family,
friends, and my dog and franky!

Would make you jump out of a plane if they sat next to you?
No one... but I would throw them out the plane... if they
were stinkin, or were inconsiderate, or drove me up the wall.

Who makes you want to throw a shoe at the TV?
Hmmm ignorant people that’s for sure... and the retarded media

Whose face do you most enjoy seeing on a newspaper at the bottom of a bird cage?
Probably would say.... Saddam Hussein

Who were you in a former life (pretend you believe in it even if you don’t)?
I would like to think I would be an inventor / Howard Hughes type without the mental issues... and grand standing...

What animal/bird were you in a former life? Hmmm probably a mans best friend as I am loyal till it hurts
As I am told by friends...

I like……………… Tinkering with ideas, and dreaming big!

I hate………………… negativity, ignorant people, lame drivers, taxes, bickering...

I wish………………… everyone could get along, and the earth's resources were not an issue...

If I won a million dollars I would………………………….
Hmmm definitely buy a house, buy mom and pops
That European trip they have always wanted and new sets of wheels..,
Dump quite a bit of money into bird board and start some other animal
Related ventures, maybe bird shows around his country...

Before I die, I want to……………………………… Definitely get married and have a family of my own... Travel the world, coach volleyball, and maybe take up teaching kids how to fish, and continue Having my own successful home based business.

Any last words? Hope everyone enjoys Bird Board and what I have
tried to envision and build for the bird community...

[Tiki]

Check back next issue for more interviews with Birdboard people!!!