264:365 - You shall not pass!

Joey can be rather protective of his cage, as I was brutally reminded a few days ago.

We were about to head out and were giving the bird cages one last look to make sure everyone was locked up when I made my "mistake". We had given them breakfast a few minutes prior and Joey had thrown his piece of toast to the ground. As I opened the cage, and started to retrieve it, he came out of nowhere and jumped on my hand, very much in attack mode. I got him off pretty quickly and, other for a small bite wound on my hand, everyone was fine.

Obviously, it was my mistake - and I should have known better. It's been a while since I've tried that, since I knew Joey could be that way in his cage. I even used to move him on a perch when we lived in the apartment when I had to put his food bowl through the front door since we had no space between cages to open the side doors - if I didn't move him that way, he would lunge for his bowl (or, more accurately, the hand which was holding said bowl). At least, there's never been an issue about getting him to step up on a perch from his cage and generally I can change toys without fearing  for my hands.

So why did I do what I did that day? I wasn't thinking obviously and thought I was going to be nice.

When the Boy entered to room to see me in my predicament, he asked me what I had done..and I explained. I think his exact words were "Oh no...you don't do that in Joey's cage!".

And I won't do that again for a long time!

Oh those nails!

My hands are all scratched up and there is only one culprit.

Léa.

She gets crazy sharp nails really fast. I really need to get her to go on a pedicure perch - I once put one in her cage and she went crazy; you would have thought that I unleashed something that was going to go after her...so out it came. I then put it in a cage I have in the orange room and sometimes, when she ends up in the cage for a 5 minute time out for being too crazy, she'll go and perch on it (as it happens to be the perch that is closest to where I sit in the room. I think it's time for that perch to go in her actual cage.

Because I can't stand these extremely sharp nails. (And I'm willing to bet she won't recognize it as the perch she's become perfectly fine with..in another cage.)

I've clipped them a few times in the past and it's always the same deal; big drama production at first and then she realized it's really not that bad and she behaves. But she can't skip the drama - that wouldn't be the Léa way of doing things.

Tomorrow she's going to the vet for a check-up. And guess what I just decided the vet will get to do?

Yes - those nails are being clipped tomorrow!

263:365 - Piper

Pretty simple picture since he was trying very hard to stay on my shoulder and I was trying very hard to have this done quickly.

I did get a few flight shots, however they aren't entirely sharp. I'll probably post them to the blog, but they weren't quite what I was looking for in a "picture of the day" since I'm still debating making myself a book with all the pictures once the project is over. And if I do that, I'll want nice clear shots.

Hands on Léa

Some alternate for her "picture of the day" from earlier this week...





She was actually quite gentle in that first picture - her sharp nails hurt far more than the gentle nibbles!

I'd like to get back to writing slightly more substantive posts, like I had been starting to do earlier this month, but it's a very busy time at work right now which is leaving me exhausted. All of the hard work might bring better things though, so it's worth it. But since I want to keep up with blogging, I might rely, once again, on "picture posts" to stay active.

262:365 - The Pixel I know

This is much more her "style"!
She'll also generally demand that I scratch her head when she's like this.

261:365 - Alfalfa

That little floofy that sticks up at the back of his head is what makes this picture for me. While Zuri is generally cute, that down feather puts it over the top!

Not so typical Pixel

What can I say? I think this is a unrefined as Pixel gets. She's generally much more poised than this.

Not knowing what to do for my picture of the day, I figured I'd try to take some pictures of her on her back in the palm of my hand. Generally, she lies there with her head propped up (and I might have such a picture of her to use as picture of the day, but I haven't entirely made up my mind if it's what I'll be going with for sure). As I started shooting today, she just let herself go.

Silly Pixel.

An unusual pairing

Joey and Zuri were playing nicely in close proximity - something they haven't really done before as they tend to stay away from each other...


J - Hey, there's another bird hiding on the other side of this thing!


J - He's looking straight at me!..

Z - Hmm...she's taking pictures again!


Z - Let's just act like we didn't notice, maybe she'll stop.

J - No...


J - We must voice our discontent! Are you with me?!

Z - no...that won't do much.


Z - What are you doing now??

J - Maybe I can reach her toes down there! That might make her stop..

(Please excuse the dirty table - it's all in a bird's day of work! They chew up A LOT of wood...)

Someone is looking guilty!

I believe he was caught red handed chewing something he was not meant to chew.
This is his "caught and guilty" look!

Perchin'

He did do this a lot..

260:365 - Won't sit still

Wanting something different, we went downstairs.

I moved the Java tree next to a wall I've never taken a picture against, which also happened to be next to some windows and therefor some nice light went through.

Placed Léa on the tree but she was having none of it. Just kept moving and moving..and when she figured out the Boy was in the kitchen, well all she wanted was to fly in there and join him!

So how does one take a picture in these conditions?

You cheat and you hold your subject.

Léa was quite happy to be on my hand...at first. Then she figured out this was a way I had to get her to hold still for longer and she no longer cooperated and started moving all over again! But by that time I had managed to get a few pictures of her that were sharp enough. On the one above, she seems to be preening away - whatever she did there did not hurt.

Patches of yellow

I recently gave Zuri a little help preening his head and I noticed quite a few new yellow feathers growing at the edge of his yellow patch, suggesting that it'll keep on expanding.

He turned 5 last May and I find it fascinating that his colours keep changing that way. All of the other birds, safe for young Léa, seem to have been fairly "stable" on that front for some time. Of course, there are the additional single orange feathers that appear once in a while on Joey's head, but those don't quite compare to the yellow feathers that keeps appearing all over Zuri - I think even the yellow spots on his wings keep expanding!

I do wonder if Léa will be the same, if the coral on her head and wings will keep on growing, even once she's past 5 years of age.

Contorted

She likes getting in awkward positions.

Double take!

I thought the picture above was quite fitting with the title of the blog but, in reality, it's me who's done a double take.

It does involve Joey though. Have a look at his beak.

Can't see it? Maybe it's better here...



The corner of his beak, where the upper and lower mandible meet is all red.

When I first saw that I had a double take. Then I realized it was only part of his morning raspberry.



But, he still looks like a ferocious bird who's bloodied something up. Mind you, having looked at his food bowl, that poor raspberry never stood a chance! Traces of it everywhere!

These were taken yesterday. He's still sporting the red stains this morning...guess someone needs help cleaning up!

259:365 - Bunny ears, err....wings?!

Thanks to Maya from BirdsFTW for the idea for the title! I debated strongly between a picture of Zuri on my head and this one as picture of the day. Asked Maya's and the Boy's opinions and they both seemed to prefer this one. I like it quite a lot as well, so here it is as today's picture.