January 2015
Dear Elephants, Birds, Humans and more Elephants,
Happy Birthday to Jackie.....She is a new years baby.......January 1st.
Brrrrr, it is cold out there. I, personally, prefer the cold to heat and humidity, but there is a limit. I keep filling my outside bird feeders so the wild birds who share my home space have a reliable food source. They are so delightful to watch and identify as they come to my window. I can sit there all day. It always, however, makes me sad that my own birds cannot fly freely like that. The perspectives we gain on life sometimes really change as we grow and mature; no bird should live in a cage. Our pleasure should not destroy the life of another being, human or otherwise. Of course, the birds we have can never be set free to live like their wild ancestors did because they would starve and die, so we have to make their lives as good as we can, but if you are reading this you already know that.
I could have stayed at the elephant sanctuary forever, working with and helping the elephants, but you already know that too.
Emma (Emmet), Aristophanes and Zeke seem to be doing well. Emma and Aristophanes really love pine nuts in the shell. They are expensive but what a great treat for them. They also enjoy their morning bagel with cream cheese and fried egg. Zeke will eat anything as long as he take it from my plate or can pull it out of the side of my mouth. I have to be so super careful with Zeke because he likes to walk on the floor all the time. His favorite thing is to stay with my geriatric dog, Lola, on her hospital sheet, and nibble on her fur. Poor Lola is paralyzed and can't move very far and she seems to enjoy his company.
Tonight our exceptional program will be presented by Dr. Joe D'Abbraccio. Dr. Joe is a CEBC member who runs Catskill Veterinary Services and who is always there for us. He takes care of every kind of animal, including (of course) birds. He is one of the few vets who will come to your house, if you need him, to take care of your pet. His number is 807-8380. His program, tonight, will be on chronic egg laying and the problems that ensue from it. This is something that is very prevalent in cockatiels and some of the larger parrot species as well. It will be a good learning experience for us.
Dr, Valerie Freer, local Audubon leader, will be our speaker next month. It has been many years since we have been lucky enough to enjoy her great expertise on wild birds and it will be a pleasure to hear her again and learn from her great erudition on birds.
We need more programs, give me names and phone numbers of those you would like to see and hear. I am going to start bugging the new curator of ornithology at the Bronx Zoo again......we will get him!
Have a great month, stay warm and always be kind to birds and every other animal....even Matt.
Love,
Richie
Happy Birthday to Jackie.....She is a new years baby.......January 1st.
Brrrrr, it is cold out there. I, personally, prefer the cold to heat and humidity, but there is a limit. I keep filling my outside bird feeders so the wild birds who share my home space have a reliable food source. They are so delightful to watch and identify as they come to my window. I can sit there all day. It always, however, makes me sad that my own birds cannot fly freely like that. The perspectives we gain on life sometimes really change as we grow and mature; no bird should live in a cage. Our pleasure should not destroy the life of another being, human or otherwise. Of course, the birds we have can never be set free to live like their wild ancestors did because they would starve and die, so we have to make their lives as good as we can, but if you are reading this you already know that.
I could have stayed at the elephant sanctuary forever, working with and helping the elephants, but you already know that too.
Emma (Emmet), Aristophanes and Zeke seem to be doing well. Emma and Aristophanes really love pine nuts in the shell. They are expensive but what a great treat for them. They also enjoy their morning bagel with cream cheese and fried egg. Zeke will eat anything as long as he take it from my plate or can pull it out of the side of my mouth. I have to be so super careful with Zeke because he likes to walk on the floor all the time. His favorite thing is to stay with my geriatric dog, Lola, on her hospital sheet, and nibble on her fur. Poor Lola is paralyzed and can't move very far and she seems to enjoy his company.
Tonight our exceptional program will be presented by Dr. Joe D'Abbraccio. Dr. Joe is a CEBC member who runs Catskill Veterinary Services and who is always there for us. He takes care of every kind of animal, including (of course) birds. He is one of the few vets who will come to your house, if you need him, to take care of your pet. His number is 807-8380. His program, tonight, will be on chronic egg laying and the problems that ensue from it. This is something that is very prevalent in cockatiels and some of the larger parrot species as well. It will be a good learning experience for us.
Dr, Valerie Freer, local Audubon leader, will be our speaker next month. It has been many years since we have been lucky enough to enjoy her great expertise on wild birds and it will be a pleasure to hear her again and learn from her great erudition on birds.
We need more programs, give me names and phone numbers of those you would like to see and hear. I am going to start bugging the new curator of ornithology at the Bronx Zoo again......we will get him!
Have a great month, stay warm and always be kind to birds and every other animal....even Matt.
Love,
Richie