Feeling grateful
End-of-2024 reflective vibes... feeling grateful for all the birds who have found their way to us, through whatever means, to either begin their healing journey or simply continue their natural life as birds.
I don't like that there's a reason for us to exist. I hate that birds are abused, neglected, endure whatever mistreatment. What I'm grateful for is every chance I've had to get to know a bird and discover their individual personality, likes, dislikes, and just how even the smallest finches are totally different from each other. They're amazing.
Thank you to every one of you for being a part of it and sharing your own fluffballs.
It's been a massive year... more on that to come, but a simple THANK YOU for now.
#accessibility video description: watching a section of aviary, with a big swinging elbow type branch in the foreground, other branches in the background, and foliage hanging on the other side. Parrots are climbing in the foliage and hanging out on the branches, and flying around. Many just chilling.
Spike says g'day
Spike says g'day 😎
Spike originally came from an aviary of budgies and weiros who were all looking for homes, and while he did find a lovely family, with life circumstances combined with his flock calling and plucking issues, they wanted to get him back with other birds - so he joined us in January this year.
#accessibility video description: Spike, the bare-chested weiro, looks down at the camera from some thin hanging branches above.
Luka the blur
Luka seems to have made it a personal challenge to see how much blurry tummy he can get in a video 🤦♀️
Wherever I am, somehow he seems to be within a couple of seconds. It's impressive.
So here you have Luka's blurry tummy, featuring other weiros enjoying a good nibble at some branches.
Hope everyone's having a good weekend in this weird end-of-year period.
#accessibility video description: in an unsheltered section of a parrot aviary, a few weiros are on a lower branch with a few others on a branch above, chewing at bits of a thinner bit of twiggy foliage that's been attached to the wire. Within a couple of seconds, a white blur starts to cover the screen. It disappears fairly quickly (I.e. Human has managed to distract tiel) but reappears a moment later, this time a blurry head shape. Again quickly goes off screen when distracted. And returns again. Meanwhile the other birds are just chilling in the background.
Oakley, the OG scritchaholic
Oakley, the OG scritchaholic, and the reason strategic placement* between aviaries of new weiros is now necessary when known scritchaholics arrive.
*basically any new scritchaholic goes into the other aviary to prevent Oakley jealousy. He looks sweet, but he does not share scritches!
#accessibility video description: Oakley the weiro sits on a branch with my hand giving his bowed head scritches. His head turns different ways to change positions. I also pull pins from parts of his crest. Near the end he does a little self-preening. There's greenery and other birds in the background.
An apology to the lovebirds
I'd like to retract a statement made the other day and offer an apology to our lovebirds.
In a post a couple of days ago, I may have implied they were difficult to film.
Apparently they resented this and wanted to prove me wrong.
So here you go. The lovebirds showing they can be just as good performers as some particular weiros.
#accessibility video description: the camera is looking into the lovebird aviary, with a lovebird checking out the camera, neck stretched out. Flaps their wings a little. Another one is just behind. The first lovebird gets in close to the camera and does the blurry beak in lense action. We also get a blurry close up of an eye. A few other lovebirds join just behind them. Near the end the screen turns blue as a belly covers the lense.
Panini progress - leg paralysis
A Panini progress video!
Small bird treatment is not easy... as much as their little bodies seem to amazingly endure at the hardest of times, due to their size there's often not good outcomes.
Which is why when there's progress like this, it's a cause for celebration 🥰 I did provide an update on Panini's leg just before Christmas, but here's a video showing him in action.
Before, the leg was dropping behind, unable to do anything with it. Now, with the gabapentin (which we've stopped for the moment after discussion with vet) and lucrin shots, there's more strength and movement. The toes still aren't gripping, but the leg is up there on the branch!
Hoping this continues. While the leg will probably never be fully normal, we'd like to see it with at least some function. (Given we were concerned about having to amputate at the beginning, this is amazing.)
#accessibility video description: Panini, a predominantly blue male budgie, sits on a thin blue branch hanging off a bigger more vertical hanging branch. He's rubbing his head against the bigger branch. His bad foot is just visible on the branch.
Is there ever a bad day for kale?
Is there ever a bad day for kale?
(Trick question.)
#accessibility video description: holding a bunch of kale in a parrot aviary, in front of some green foliage. Two weiros are initially on it and nibbling. They're joined by a budgie who lands just on the back a bit lower. Not a great spot for grip. Soon flies off. Henry the budgie soon joins, with hair the envy of all others (the bowl type cut). Another budgie joins, and some other weiros, while other birds are enjoying the fresh foliage in the background. Pudge joins in near the end.
Lovebirds being cute and menaces
The closest we can get to filming these guys without them taking off. But had to capture these cuties on the swing. And then that kinda unexpected ending 😂
#accessibility video description: watching the lovebird aviary from a small distance, focusing on a large swing on which two lovebirds are snuggled together, heads tucked into their backs leaning into each other. Another lovebird is above them and one is on a branch above, who goes upside down chewing the branch. At the end, there's a bit of a divebomb where a lovebird targets the swing, one goes flying, the other looks a little surprised then goes back to sleep.
Chillaxing at seed time
After a few very hot days, Christmas Day was in the low 20s, very pleasant and enjoyed by the birds.
Here's a moment late this avo at seed time.
Just being birds which is all we ever want for them.
#accessibility video description: camera is looking past the side of a hanging ceramic bowl of seed to many wild looking branches in the background. Lots of budgies and weiros are chilling out on the branches. Some flying around. A couple of birds just visible at the hanging seed bowl, which the camera focuses on briefly at times before returning to the kids,
Vegie challenge
Tried something different this morning. Kinda a failure but also something I can learn from.
Next time I'll try hanging the carrot with some indents/chopped parts for easier grasping and to make it a bit juicier. The zucchini... just not a favourite.
Clearly brocolli is just a winner.
Wonder who'd win between brocolli and kale 🤔
#accessibility video description: hanging above a branch from three individual wires are half a zucchini , half a head of brocolli, and a carrot. A weiro is nibbling at the brocolli while a kakariki has a brief go at the zucchini. A second weiro on the other side has a go at the brocolli. A weiro flies up from behind to land on the brocolli. The brocolli popularity continues. The carrot doesn't really get a see in.
Inspiring Special needs budgies
Merry Christmas everyone, from the flock (human and bird) here at Little Beaks.
We want to thank everyone who has continued on the journey with us this year - whether just joined or you've been with us for a while. It's been a big year and we genuinely couldn't do it without you. More about that later though.
According to many, Christmas Day is about love and hope. Sadly there's a lot of horrible things going on in the world currently, but there is also undoubtedly hope, which these animals, and rescuers around the world demonstrate constantly.
The two special needs budgies in this video have a beautiful relationship: they're inseparable, constantly doting on and caring for each other. Wherever one is, the other follows. Humanity can learn a lot from them ❤️
Hope you all have a wonderful day, stay safe, and do something for yourself.
#accessibility video description: on the ground in the special needs aviary, two show type budgies - one greyish blue, the other slightly darker blue - sit on a log sat on the soil. They both appear French moult affected in the wings and tail. They share a few beak taps before one wanders off and the other quickly follows. As the blue one starts climbing the aviary wire, the other starts climbing. The first one reaches a low branch with th other joining soon after and touching beaks again. They move slightly back and forth on this branch, keeping together.
Seriously, can weiros be any cuter? 🥰
I'd love to know what scritch politics go on between weiros.
#accessibility video description: two weiros are on a branch together scitching each other. One moves their head around to give the other direction and easy access to different areas. The other takes a moment's break after a while while the friend has a scratch, but the friend cottons on and demands more. The scritch giver obliges and they carry on.
