Ducklings

My person’s friend Judy recently acquired some ducklings. Like all baby birds, ducklings are very cute little creatures, but you have to admit they are a bit funny looking. In the first place, they sure aren’t going to be cracking open any seeds or nuts with those funny flat bills of theirs. And what about those webbed feet? I understand they’re useful for swimming, but what’s the point of that? I mean, I’m sure I enjoy water as much as any duck, but there’s certainly no need to go swimming around in it when you can easily have a nice bath just standing in a pan full of water or having someone spritz you. So, sure, those poor silly ducks can swim around a pond, but they’re never going to be able to climb trees or hold their food like a parrot with sensible feet. Judy is a very nice person and I have enjoyed sitting on her shoulder and squawking in her ear any number of times, so I have to wonder: Why did she get ducks when she could have gotten a parrot?

Cold Spring

We had a couple of warm days this week, and I went outside in my carrier to help my person mow the lawn. We did a great job, if I do say so myself. But now it’s rainy and wet again, so it’s back to inside chores, making nests and helping my person write. Also I have to keep an eye out the window for that fat woodchuck, and when it appears I squawk to scare it away. So, rain or shine, there’s always something to do around here. What about you? What do you do when it’s too cold and wet to go outside?

Spring Tasks

I know I’ve been neglecting my blog recently. I’ve just had so many things to do. Unfortunately, going out for walks in my carrier hasn’t been one of them. It’s been too cold and rainy these past couple of weeks. But now the weather is looking better and my person says that very soon she’ll be needing my help outside with the lawn mowing. I can’t wait! Mowing the lawn is my favorite outside chore. My job is to sit in my carrier and keep an eye out for predators while my person cuts the grass. Meanwhile, I’ve had plenty to keep me busy inside, helping my person with her work, and working on a few projects of my own. Nesting season is here and I’ve got a couple of nests going. One is on top of the printer and the other is on a small shelf. With two nesting sites, I’m pretty busy all day long chewing up old books, plastic bottle caps, and popsicle sticks. Unfortunately, my person often gets in one of those mean moods where she takes the vacuum cleaner to my nests and vacuums up all the bits and pieces I’ve worked so hard to chew. So then I’ve got to start all over again. People can get really moody sometimes, but you’ve got to love them anyway.

Happy Birthday to Me!

Yesterday was my birthday. I am 14 years old now. Here I am with the presents that my aunt sent me - some cardboard boxes for me to chew! There's nothing I like better than having something to chew, so I sure had a happy birthday.

Happy Day!

Yesterday was the big day. I went outside for the first time this spring. When my person said, “Go for a walk,” I could hardly believe my ears. Did she say “Go for a walk” or “Go for a squawk?” But when I saw my carrier sitting in the kitchen, I knew the big moment had finally arrived. I hopped right into the carrier and waited while my person put on her jacket and zipped the carrier up. Then we went outside. I was so excited, I was shaking. How wonderful it was to feel the fresh outside air on my feathers and the warm sunshine on my beak! There were so many sounds to hear and so many things to see I just didn’t know what to pay attention to. My person and I went for a nice long walk and saw and heard many things. I can’t wait to go outside again. Unfortunately, today is cold and rainy so it looks like I’ll be staying inside for today. But now that spring is finally here, I can look forward to lots of outside activities—walks, mowing the lawn, gardening—I can’t wait!

Home Alone

Of course I really don’t like it when my person goes out a leaves me alone all day, but that doesn’t happen often. Usually she just goes out for a little while, and that gives me some time to hang out in my cage. The first thing I do is head over to my food dish since that’s always the most interesting part of my cage. After nibbling around there for a while, I sit on my perch and play with my toothbrush and key. I hold the toothbrush and bite the key. It’s really fun. After that, I might chew on a bottle cap or two, or a popsicle stick, and maybe I’ll pile up all my toys in my food dish. Then when I’m done playing, I like to just sit and listen. There are always interesting sounds around. In the winter, there’s the rumbling and whooshing of the furnace. In warmer weather, there’s the chirping and tweeting of the outside birds. And always there are cars rushing down the road, though when I big, loud truck comes by, I cower in the corner of my cage. While I’m listening to all these sounds, I always keep one ear alert for the sound of my person’s car in the driveway. Then when I hear the kitchen door open, I greet her with whoops and squawks. And then I’m not alone anymore.
What about you? What do you like to do when your person goes out?

Outside

These days, I’ve been enjoying sitting on the windowsill and watching what’s going on outside. Besides seeing some dumb robins hopping around in the mud looking for worms, I’ve also been hearing all sorts of other outside birds chirping and singing. It’s very interesting listening to them, and I wish I could go outside and be with them. However, my person hasn’t opened the window yet, so it must still be too cold for me to go out. Anyhow, there isn’t much green outside. It’s mostly brown and there are still patches of snow. So I guess I’d rather stay inside where it’s nice and warm for now. It kind of makes me mad that those dumb robins are out there and I’m not, but on the other hand, at least I don’t have to go digging through cold wet mud to find my dinner.