Hello Gildy, glad Lucky is alright. How's your hip, and how's the woodworm ? I don't of course mean you've got woodworm in your hip <laugh> :Love Curmy.

Ashlady,

how horible for you to find dead birds like this it must be really horrible

I hope that it's not something too serious, hopefully just 'seasonal' like you've been told.



Best to you,
Chris

Curmy and Mango,

To keep up with all the messages I should reply to I need to sit here for hours daily, I feel awful missing so many but try to read all that I am able.

Lucky is flexing his/her wings more now and stretching them out, There is definately a connection to me stroking the breast and Lucky getting excited enough to wish to drink and feed and today even did so with me in the room. At one stage he sat on my shoulder.

Today, maybe the mix was just right but he not only ate his indigo wheat but I tried some soft bill muesli(or was it Crumble)I think I mixed the two together as they were so similar...anyhow, today that was eaten. The wheat is hard but they seem to peck at it and swallow it whole so I assume its broken down inside the stomach.

If it arrives tomorrow I have a mix of Wheat, Barley and Maize so I'll see how that goes down. That bald patch the size of 2p coin is starting to sprout feathers and today when he lifted one wing, where it joins the body a few fine feathers were starting to grow where his skin is a little pink so I had not realised that he'd lost some from there. He really is perky and in good condition. One long feather that I thought looked faulty as it seemed to only be nothing but a quill has started growing feathers from the end and in time will become a tail feather. The only part I still have not managed a good look at is that black patch under his wing and on the side of his chest but again it does not seem to be bothering him at all and there is no blood anywhere nor would it appear to be a wound.

The improvement is so good I still cannot to decide whether to wait a couple of extra days or because he's well fed and watered say, get back out there with your friends. He still has 4 or 5 days to continue his recovery. And there is talk of gales and rain in the next 48 hours so...

Doves are so timid they fly off at the smallest movement or sign of me at a window or anywhere in the garden that's why I was lucky to catch him but though I have built up trust and he seems quite calm in my company and I keep thinking its unusual...of course look at the way doves are used in a magician's act once they know they'll come to no harm. So I guess its much the same.

My injury is improving but today is a bit of a problem but its moved a bit...

The woodworm, well I cannot decide if its gone, the timber when tapped does not seem hollow even if there are a few little holes to be seen and the room is dry which they don't like...so I'll see how it goes.

May get back later...

Gildy x

Gildy, glad Lucky is doing so well, I know its a silly question, but as you're so good with birds have you ever thought of keeping a budgie ?

My father specialised in inventing insectisides, and I remember him saying if you found woodworm holes it was worth painting them with the appropriate liquid.

Take care, talk soon, Curmy x

Morning Gildy, I hope today finds your hip in better order and Lucky seems to need no luck at all now, he is obviously in good hands

Mango, thanks for your good wishes, I feel quite distressed at the moment and am very tired with all the extra work I have taken upon myself to try and maintain the cleanist possible enviroment for the patrons of Cafe Ash, short of building rest rooms and finger (or should that be beak) bowls I don't know what else to do.

I will let you know when I have been told the results of the post mortem.

Lily returned home last night, but I don't have the energy to switch her on and deal with all the emails that will have piled up maybe at the weekend

Take care all, xx

I know what you mean Ashlady on all that you say...

Yep, feeling a bit better today thanks. Of course your causualties could be from other gardens where people not necessarily deliberately have not been as careful in their care of their birds.

If the Bill Oddie programme next week is not in the can I hope that he makes it clear howimportant it is to keep feeders etc...clean and not to jump to the conclusion that any bird found dead is as a result of Bird Flu. I heard last night on Radio 5 that birds can live without Bird Flu affecting them at all and most do. Also, that one possible reason of the increase in incidents of the spread in Tiawan have been traced back to and helped by injured birds from the practice of **** fighting being taken away by the owners and probably put with other birds and the owners lack of care and the way that they are handled or disposed of. Just seen that a certain word has been blocked out but you know what I mean

You cannot stereotype a whole country but some areas in these kind of countries are not known as bein terrifically hygenic and many such places have people living in close proximity to their livestock in slums/shanty towns.

Gildy

Hi there, agreed the lady at the BTO said that it was doubtful that the birds were sick because of my lack of cleanliness (as you know, there is no 'lack') but said that a step up would be advisable and being as I know that at least 2 of the living visitors are sick, I want to try and stop as much spread as I can

Unfortunately, it is the supply of fresh food that it attracting them to my Cafe, but she said that I should not stop feeding as this wont help the situation and will possibly make things worse as more birds will then perhaps visit the infected feeders elsewhere

Ashlady,

I'm just so sorry that you feel so tired and distressed

I wish that I was nearer to you so that I could help you.
You sound really worn out, that's

As I'm still quite new here I'm still finding my way around........but I've just seen you gave me a square Thank you!!!

It's so lovely to have such a friendly place to come to and write without fear of people!

I hope that you feel better soon.

Chris xx

Gildy,

If I come back on this earth I think I'd like to come back as a bird and have you look after me

You must have the best fed birds for miles around!

Pleased that you and Lucky are doing so well, what an awful day it is today,
I heard that it's worse where you are?

Gets dark so early too

My tidy garden is looking very untidy again, grass is like a bog, leaves and squashy medlars yuk.

Chris x

Chris,

I'd happily look after you but I'm happy that you around as you are

Lucky is still happy and obviously in no pain and feathers are growing so quickly I am amazed. He likes to preene himself now after he's had some attention and now I am allowed to gently look at every part of him. I still cannot decide about that black patch, sorry to graphic but it doesn't look like insides, its not bleeding, its not leaking but whereas you know what a plucked bird looks like this area doesn't look like that. I just wonder if it a scab covering a wound? Or a scar Lucky will carry of his close call. With his wing down its not visable. I'm still trying to give him a little longer in my care but Mum thinks he should be out there with his friends. And that I have done a good job to date. Maybe, that area will remain bare. There's no fection.

Being well fed, watered and kept warm is all is in his favour.

I may just decide having come this far to try and get him to a vet next week when he's almost ready to be released and have him given the once over by an expert or phone and see if any advice will be given. I do hope that feed arrives tomorrow so he can have another choice to choose from.
The outhouse is quieter than the house when fireworks are going off so Lucky isn't scared. A few minutes ago he perched on my arm.

My garden is still full of leaves, a soaking wet lawn and so on. No work done on it this week. All seasons have there good points but though its wishing time away, its good to get into Jan/Feb and know that Spring is not that far away. No doubt it will be busier this time.

I'm still surprised how I have taken on this interest but I'm not obsessed honestly.

However, come March I suppose I'll have to try and help the fledglings survive and that's a new thing as its suggested that live mealworms or wax worms are a good source of protein and they supply moisture which young are unable to take in any other form. I've never done that before and I'll have to see if I can afford and find a suitable feeder.

Foxy thanks for your thoughtful message too. I will have a look as soon as possible but I've made a note of the link

Take Care

Anthony xx