Chilling with the birds

Titan, our quaker parrot, has always been free to roam about the back yard. Whenever weather permits, we leave his cage outside with its door open, so that he is able to come and go as he pleases.

For the past few summers we noticed that he'd been getting some visitors. At first, one or two sparrows hopped over to his cage tentatively to share his food. Later his cage became 'the place to be' for all birds in the area. I was surprised at Titan's popularity - he is not exactly the most charming individual. Once in a while I can be seen streaking across the lawn from the washing line in terror, with Titan at my heels - trying to attack me for my audacity at disturbing his peace and quiet. So, it's quite amusing to watch him become the popular kid in the playground - looking all aloof and colourful amongst his duller-looking devoted hangers-on.

In the colder months we moved his cage into the separate entrance at the back, leaving open the door of the building and that of his cage. But this did not deter his posse, who just moved the party indoors.

Once in a while, however, some of his more adventurous groupies, will wander into our house. On many occasions I've entered the kitchen, just to find two (for some reason they always enter our house in two's) sparrows chilling on the counter tops, with an air of casualness - until they spot me, which is when they'll fly about hysterically and aimlessly looking for the nearest exit.

Recently they have been travelling further into the house - the two below actually entered at the kitchen, flew past the bathroom, down the passage and into the girls' bedroom. I found them relaxing on the desk. They then spotted me and then spent the next few minutes trying to find the nearest exit. In their panic they did not realise that the window was closed, so you can just imagine the unfortunate escape attempts they had to endure before I opened a window and liberated them. 

 

Behind the curtain - with freedom so near, yet so far