Good morning Fellow Travellers around the Sun I've just finished a lovely long cuddle with Ziggy, who is still being very clingy since the Vet visit this week. I had a hard time getting her to go in to roost again last night as she was so determined to stay with me. She does this thing where you ask her if it's "Come! Come!" time and then she sneaks off down into the side of the couch making "Tee hee hee" sounds and trilling. It's very cute, so it's impossible to get cross with her...and I'm sure she knows that

It's quiet on the crochet order front at the moment and I'm still waiting on an order of variegated toy safety eyes so I can finish the competition toy, so I reckon I'll either do some more gaming or work on Toby's telly net today - whatever takes my fancy once I've had coffee; the joys of a long weekend

Have a lovely day, whatever you get up to

Why are you preening on my foot, you little weirdo?

Good morning everyone I'm just up from a long lie as Grant got up for the parrots this morning. I'm sitting with them now and he is still snoozing on the couch quite happily, although he's going to get a real shock when Toby inevitably starts screeching at me Lots of coffee and just being lazy for an hour or so on the cards, because I have to gear up for a Three Parrot Vet Event in a couple of hours To be fair it's the usual two Hahns Macaws who give me the most grief trying to get them into their travel cages. Toby is easy enough to pick up and put in his special travel crate that he came over on the plane from South Africa in. Strap the crate into the front seat and we're good to go, with me and the girls in their cages in the back. It's quite an event though, so that's what I'll be doing today

Have a lovely day, whatever you get up to

Mep indeed, little girl.

In an effort to doodle a bit more for myself, I started randomising a bird (almost) daily, forcing myself to doodle the first result that comes up. All 9 birds doodle I’ve drawn so far in one image! They all took me around 2h to complete, and it’s been a lot of fun!

I’m just a pancake holder.

Made a good start on the net to keep Toby out from behind the telly. I reckon about a week or so of crochet should have it big enough to attach to the wall and drape down over the top, then I will extend the sides with extra netting. That's the plan anyway. We'll see how well it works out. Until it's ready, the nightly battle with Toby with continue

Good morning Fellow Travellers on the Galactic Spiral Arm I'm back up early with the parrots again this morning and have had a successful Ziggy cuddle and medication delivery. Grant said he was having no issues with her taking it with the new baby food so I tried her again and sure enough, she lapped it up this time. I do have some Fruit Feast in reserve now though in case. It's a fruity mash with vitamins and probiotics which you can also make up with water. Yesterday evening was another round of jumping up and down trying to stop Toby from going behind the telly - he's so determined! Here's a video of the culprit looking as innocent as you please and preening, with added Jadie asking Grant "What you up to?" in the background

Fresh chop to make and then competition toy crochet thereafter. I'm hoping to finish it up this week all going to plan.

Have a lovely day, whatever you get up to

Took a wander down by the lake, and spotted a pair of scaly-breasted lorikeets at their nest hole in the side of a tall gum tree.

Mosaic Evolution Generates Patches Of Vivid Colors In The Lories

“How to balance the evolutionary demands between being extremely colorful and attractive to potential mates whilst also being camouflaged from predators?”

by @grrlscientist via #Substack 

#parrots #color #evolution #ecology #MateChoice #SciComm https://grrlscientist.substack.com/p/mosaic-evolution-generates-patches

Mosaic Evolution Generates Patches Of Vivid Colors In The Lories

“How to balance the evolutionary demands between being extremely colorful and attractive to potential mates whilst also being camouflaged from predators?”

by @grrlscientist via #Substack 

#parrots #color #evolution #ecology #MateChoice #SciComm https://grrlscientist.substack.com/p/mosaic-evolution-generates-patches

Early evening yesterday, Newcastle Road next to Jesmond Park, and it's The Gathering for the local troop of sulphur-crested cockatoos. All up I reckon there was about four dozen, screeching as they flew over, stopping for a bit on the power lines and street lamps and trees. And the odd lawn and letterbox for a quick nibble.

Check out this rare orange colour morph of a North Island kākā, reported on #iNaturalistNZ from Aotea Great Barrier Island by a new iNat user, karlliec.

Lloyd Esler commented that "Apparently a colour morph known from the old times. There is one in Southland Museum. The man who shot it was fined two pounds I think as the red morph was protected. There is a book called The Red Kaka."

https://inaturalist.nz/observations/268175714

Sorry boss, I can't come to work.

New addition! Western corella (Cacatua pastinator) #AustralianBirds | #WesternCorella #WesternLongBilledCorella #CacatuaPastinator | #Corellas #WhiteCockatoos #Cockatoos #CockatooFamily #Parrots : Photo by Gaz_Chapp #birdsoftheworld #birds

G'day
G&T went to the #Budgie doctor for their check-up and pedicures today

Both are healthy, weighing in at around 38g

We're home, and they are now exploring their cage, eating treats, and listening to music

I wonder how long it will take them to forgive me this time?

Hope you are having a terrific Tuesday and are having treats to balance any indignities!

Crime Investigation Tool Reveals Origins Of UK’s Feral Parrots

"A recent study identified where the UK’s naturalized parakeets came from by adapting a powerful crime investigation technique designed to locate and identify serial criminals"

by @grrlscientist via #Substack

#parrots #forensics #parakeets #London #UK #SciComm https://substack.com/home/post/p-156158357

I love that our rear neighbors have turned an upstairs porch into their Parrot Aviary. #parrots #aviary #bird #birds #nature #pet #pets #animal #animals #animalfriends #saveourplanet #supportanimals