So many things have happened in the aviary since last August so I have much to discuss.  I will attempt to do this in a matter of a few posts and try to get everyone up to date.  The next post will be tonight with some pictures, then again tomorrow.

But enough of that!  Let’s get to the real issues at hand!

There have been a few new additions to the flock since I last updated.  Pele has been joined by a beautiful male Budgie by the name of Sammy.  He is a Recessive Pied Cobalt Opaline Type 2 Yellowface.  When they are old enough, I hope to get some beautiful babies from the pair of them, since Pele is a Violet Spangle Opaline Type 2 Yellowface.  Because Yellowface is still somewhat of a mystery as far as modes of inheritance, I am very excited to see what sort of Blue I can get from combining two Type 2 Yellowfaces together.  I may get all Type 2′s, Type 1′s or plain Blues or I may get a combination of the three.

Here is Sammy:

I have also adopted a great little Pied male Cockatiel from a gentleman who could no longer keep him.  He was originally found in a garden, but after searching for his real owners to no avail, the man decided to keep him.  The Tiel is approximately 11 years old, give or take a year.  His name was Mr. Byrd, but I have generously named him His Royal Highness Mr. Byrd Byrdington Esquire the Third.

Mr. Byrd:

I also just recently took in a flock of 10 Peachface Lovebirds, some named and some not.  They include:

Medium Dutch Blue Violet female/ Medium Whitefaced Blue DF Violet split to Am. Cinn. male (Nefertiti and Tut)

Green Pied female/Medium Green Pied split to Blue male (yet to be named)

Medium Seagreen Violet female/ American Cinnamon Pied split to WF Blue male (Pebbles and Bam Bam)

Medium Seagreen Violet female/ Dark Seagreen Pied male (Speedy and Spunky)

American Cinnamon female/ Whitefaced Blue Pied split to Am Cinn. male (Skittles and CeCe)

Pics will be added when they are done with quarantine.

The Parrotlet babies are still doing great, though the last baby has yet to hatch.

I heard Dweezel, my male Caique feeding Zorro, my female Caique yesterday and right when he was finished, I opened the nest box and saw food on Zorro face.  So he is actually feeding her which is great!  They have also become a little more relaxed which I think is because the frustrations are diminishing between them.  Zorro is getting fed and Dweezel understands what to do.

I have also found that when my boyfriend is around, Dweezel is much nicer.  I have no idea why since last I knew, Dweezel hated my boyfriend, but he must have the same “daddy” complex as many kids do- when daddy is mad, he means business.  I think Dweezel tries to behave more when my boyfriend is in the room because he knows my boyfriend can get upset when Dweezel is being aggressive or loud.

Here is a picture of Pele and I (me sporting a very fake smile…):

Here is a video of him getting scritches:

Video of Pele

This morning also, I was able to witness Dweezel, my male Caique, feeding Zorro, my female Caique. At least I believe he was feeding her. It was hard to tell if there was an actual passing of food, but they went through the motions, which in itself is a giant leap. We are getting closer and closer to them being completely bonded and mating. Since they have already laid eggs, they have the nesting part down, as well as incubating so I am quite confident that if they ever mate and lay fertile eggs, they will good parents and will take very good care of the babies. The nest box will be coming down for a few months after Zorro is done setting on these eggs.

Yesterday at the sale, I met Angie from Sunny Hollow Aviaries in Minneapolis, MN. She breeds American Budgies and makes bird toys. She just launched her new toy website and I wish her great success! She was very nice and I can tell she cares a lot about what she does. Please support caring hobby breeders instead of pet stores. You can find tamer, sweeter babies from many more breeders than pet stores.

If you would like to check out Angie’s website, please visit it here: http://www.freewebs.com/sunnyhollowaviaries/

The Parrotlet baby Froggie found a home in Longville with Mary. He went with his fleece and cotton ring swing, which he slept on every night. He will have a great home with Mary!

I received an overwhelming amount of interest in the male Lovebird babies I am handfeeding right now, though I only have one serious potential new owner. I am taking deposits now for 3 babies- 1 Seagreen American Cinnamon Violet female, 1 Normal Green male (split to WF Blue, Australian and American Cinnamon), and one male who looks to be a Normal green (Split to Blue, and possibly Australian and American Cinnamon). Deposits to hold are $20, delivery fee may be added depending on location.

Yesterday, the first baby girl from Isis and Osiris hatched. She is an Australian Cinnnamon. I don’t know yet if she is Seagreen, Dutch Blue or Whitefaced Blue, but if she is the last, I will be keeping her for future breeding, though she will remain a wonderful pet her entire life.

I’m still waiting for the Parrotlet babies to hatch, but that should happen very soon.

Sunday (tomorrow) is the Brainerd Bird Sale and hopefully if the roads are good after this snow storm, I will be going. There will be many vendors from around Minnesota and I believe South Dakota. We are expecting to see birds from Finches to Macaws, adults and babies. I will be bringing my Lovebird babies that I am handfeeding and will be taking deposits on them and I will be bringing the Parrotlet baby to sell if I do not receive a deposit from interested parties beforehand.

The Parrotlet’s baby is doing great, it is a little green boy which I have named Froggie since he was born on Leap Day. He is still available for deposit.

The Parrotlets are back on 3 fertile eggs, hopefully they will all hatch this time and we will get at least one American Yellow. They are due to hatch in about 1 week or so.

The Lovebirds are feeling spring fever right now.

I am handfeeding 3 babies from Freya and Loki and apparently they heard my call for green pieds, but forgot the “pied” part! They had 2 normal green males, 1 is a Medium Green Violet and the other is a Normal Green (no dark factors, no Violet factors). The 3rd baby is a Seagreen American Cinnamon Violet female. I am also handfeeding the first baby from Yin and Seible, he is a Normal Green, though he may have a violet or dark factor.

Rowan and Fletcher are back on eggs, 2 are looking fertile, but again, I don’t know if they will hatch. I do hope they do.

Isis and Osiris are on 2 fertile eggs. These babies are always so beautiful, but Isis and Osiris seem to have a hard time hatching them and keeping them alive. I am hoping that is because they are young and that maybe this time they will be just fine.

My rescues, Sunny and Marvin look to have one fertile egg, and I will be leaving it with them this time.

The Caiques, Dweezel and Zorro are back on eggs as well. I took their box down and moved them into a different cage, but I saw Zorro with an “egg-bum” (about to lay an egg) so I gave her back the box so she didn’t become egg-bound. This time they have 5 eggs and are much more aggressive.

All of the Lovebirds are on eggs, though sadly, I don’t think any of the eggs from Fletcher and Rowan will hatch. Their expected hatch date was a couple of days ago and I do not see any signs of hatching. I have started the humidifier back up, fearing the dry air may be a cause for concern.

Freya and Loki are on 6 fertile eggs right now, but one may have stopped developing. That still means there should be 5 babies that will start to arrive this weekend or so. I am hoping for some normal green Pieds, green American Cinnamons and at least one green SplitCinnamino.

Yin and Seible had eggs but they were not fertile or at least did not hatch. I took away all but one and then added a foster egg from my rescue pair. They are still sitting on the foster egg (which is looking good so far) and they have laid 5 more eggs of their own, one being fertile for sure.

Isis and Osiris are still sitting on only 3 eggs and only one looks good, though I am not counting on it hatching. When we move, I will be taking their box away and letting them rest for at least a month or so and we will try again.

The Caiques are still sitting on their 4 eggs, but they are starting to get tired of sitting on them. They have been coming out everyday now again and today they got their beaks and nails trimmed. They also got serenaded by my boyfriend while he was playing his viola to some Irish tunes.