spring?

Apparently spring is really here.
I was walking Mattie, the naughty Jack Russell terrier. She was sniffing around at something near a cluster of pine trees. Out slithered an 18 inch garter snake. (*see photo I took with my camera phone)
Mattie acts like little miss tough guy at first barking like mad. She then runs behind me when she realizes that "it" is now moving towards her.
My cousin reported to me she found a couple of ticks on her clothes, as well as on her dogs and even on her shower curtain.The ticks are out in full force now.
I just knocked down the beginning makings of two hornets nests on the south side of my house. Those little bastards built those nests really fast. At 7:00am there were no nests but by 10:00am two nests were forming into  honeycombed paper hives.
My husband has been sneezing like mad. He suffers from seasonal allergies.The rubbish bin is filling up with used tissues.
My birds have been fighting like mad. They also have been tearing up paper trying to make nests. I caught "Patches" in the lutinos (yellow cockatiels) cages. He was making a racket screaming and ripping up newspaper. I reached in to get him out .He bit me really hard and lunged for my face.He meant serious business. The odd part is that none of the females are interested in his advances. I got him out of there because he was attacking all the other birds in order to claim territory in that cage.
The day-light is changing as well. I find myself cringing from mid-line light triggering "summer" migraines.(Winter and summer migraines are a little different)
Don't get me wrong. I prefer summer over winter anytime. I feel like a flower emerging from the soil reaching upwards welcoming the sun. But like the flower, I have to be careful to make sure I get enough water, shade and to make sure insect pests don't take over.

song bird

I'm not much of what you would say a "music lover" per say.This is most due to constant and chronic headaches. However, once in awhile, when my head is clear of pain, I do enjoy certain tunes.

Sometimes when I am in a store, I will stop and listen to some really amazing song. Unfortunately, the mood of the song will break when it is subsequently followed by some really shitty song. It's kind of like enjoying a really delicious ice-cream cone only to find after you've eaten all the banana ice-cream to find a dead fly squished on the cone.It's awful when you you are listening to something cool by say, the artist: Maxi Priest and then, some crap song like "Muskrat love" follows it (or anything by Micheal Jackson for that matter)

In my opinion, here are some fab songs:

"If this was your last day" by Nickleback.

At first I thought this was done by Daughtry because they sound similar in vocals.It's nice to hear a song that actually has lyrics that are thought provoking.

"Under the milky way" by Sia.

The original version done by the group The Church is excellent too.For some reason this song takes me back to when I was a kid at Christmas time driving in my father's big ass "caddy". I can just feel the biting cold, but, it is oddly comforting.

"He called me baby" by Candi Staton.

Bluesy with a torch-light feel.

"Are you lookin' at me?" by Colin Hay

A 40 something year old Scottish guy doing rap. He pulls it off bloody brilliantly. Well done my friend.

"Rumor has it" & "Rolling in the deep" by Adele.

Where did this girl with the amazing voice come from? ENGLAND! Where else?

"Somebody that I used to know" by Gotye

We have all been there, eh?

"I'm in love with a criminal" by Britney Spears

You are probably all screaming now but the beginning instrumental hooks of this song is almost renaissance-like.Seriously of all the song listed above my birds like this one the best.

the Wild Pigeons of Salisbury beach part 70

I took Craow Dum for his third and final doxycycline injection. Despite using the antibiotic drugs of choice (doxycycline, baytril and clindamycin ) and  optimal methods (nebulizer)(oral applications) and (injections) he is still is a booger machine.
Yesterday, I think, bone fragments came out of his nares. His choana (throat hole) was inflamed as well. It is puzzling and frustrating.
The vet suggested oral and nasal flushes but due to his deformed nasal cavity and sinus blockage  he could aspirate (drown). It is very risky and still, it may not do anything.
Also a different but similar antibiotic was suggested but again, it would have to be administered orally and there was no guarantee that it would work.
So for now, we can only do palliative treatment by giving  him a couple of drops of metacam (anti-inflammatory) daily and keep his nose clean.
He remains a good,even a little chubby, weight of 329 grams and poops perfectly. I wish I could do more but as of right now, unless the vet has any other options, I think we will just carry on by just maintaining the status quo with him.
sigh....

The Vicar of Salisbury

One of my favorite TV shows was "The Vicar of Dibley".The show ran for about ten years. It was a comedy about a female Vicar (Anglican priest) stationed in the country side of England. The cast of characters on the show were colorful and very likable. I was sad when the show ran it's course and ended.
Occasionally in the morning I take different routes when I do my daily jogs. I sometimes pass by an old 1920's style clap-board church with it's tilted steeple.On the open window pane of the steeple I see a very large pigeon sitting there standing guard. He/she has a grizzled fierce, but gentle face.
I call him/her the Vicar of Salisbury.
If my husband runs with me we will look up to the steeple to see if  The Vicar is standing watch. If I don't see him the first time I pass the church I will see him on my way back. I've seen other pigeons up there as well but the Vicar will "bust-a-move" at them showing that it is HIS parish and that He runs it.
I've seen ospreys in the nearby marsh area. Regardless of their presence, I think the Vicar has held his own.
I seriously don't think anyone has ever noticed him there before lording over the parish.
But I did.

anger management

I am reading the book "Making rounds with Oscar" by Dr David Dosa.
 It is a true story about a resident cat at the Steere house in Rhode Island (a nursing home) who has an uncanny ability to predict when a patient is ready to leave this life onto the next.
My friend from Maine recommended this book to me not because it was just an "animal story' but more that it is about the people in the home stricken with dementia.
As a part of Parkingson's disease my father is slipping in and out of dementia.What makes dementia so horrible is that it is unpredictable and treacherous. Not only that, is the stigma and cruel stereotype one pictures when you say someone has dementia. In order to preserve my father's dignity I will just say I could feel the people's pain described in this book.I could also feel the anger and frustration dealing with someone who one minute is cognitive of their actions and within a flip of a neuron switch they completely irrational and downright dangerous.
My mother needed sometime to herself so I took my dad out for the day.
He was having a 'good day" today.
Both my husband and I needed to help him up one step into the restaurant. I always ask for the 'first seat" closest to the door so we do not have to go far.He seemed upbeat and cheerful Most of the conversation in the beginning was comprehensible.However, out of nowhere he told me he was getting  his "Massachusetts driving license".
I froze.
I've learned not to argue with him.
I changed the subject.
After lunch he said he wanted to go for a ride.
He wanted to go to a used car dealer to buy a car.
I told him in the calmest voice that I could manage that this was not a good idea because (he) can't get a MA license and explained to him why without making him feel bad.
He seemed OK with that.
After going for a coastal ride, I could tell he was getting tired.
 I was tired too and I had a wicked ear-ache from clenching my teeth. I was getting aggravated at some of the "off" things he was saying but I kept quiet and calm.
Again,when  we got home he exclaimed "a friend would pull some strings in getting him a license".
My throat tightened.
I have his truck, thank God.
I told my mother later about our day. I also cautioned her to just hide her keys 'just in case".
I couldn't help but think of that elderly man that plowed his car into a bunch of school kids waiting on the side walk.The elderly driver only stopped because he had crashed into a wall or a post. The police had to pry his fingers off the steering wheel as he kicked and screamed. He was aggressively determined for what ever irrational reasoning clicked in his brain to step on the accelerator.
His family was so horrified and distraught .I can only guess for years they tried to get him away from his car. I do not know the full story in this particular case but the unpredictability of my father's actions make me nervous I think the key thing to keep in mind that we can't ignore what is going on and stay alert of the 'what ifs" .
I never thought in a million years I would have  to worry about my father's safety.
It's a balancing act of taking care of him, protecting him from danger( and safeguarding others around you ) and at the same time, preserving his well earned dignity.

the wild pigeons of Salisbury beach part 69

http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2011/12/no-joke-pigeons-ace-a-simple-math.html

Check out this article. Pigeons are super smart!

Meanwhile there are a whole new group of pigeons on the beach. I am sure many of them are old regulars but a few stand out with distinct colorings and patterns. I see "the Rock" out there trying to score a lady friend. "Galok" is back along with "Raunchy". There are some smaller odd ones which might have flown from Seabrook or Newburyport.

Craow Dum doesn't seem to mind his nebulizer tank. I finally figured it out . He does have to be in it for at least 30 minutes at a time for the medicine to infuse. I've looked up videos on youtube.com to see how exotics (birds and reptiles) are nebulized. I think I am doing it correctly. By 30 minutes he is "bustin'-a-move' and wants to get out to poop. (He will not poop in the tank. He is actually quite fussy where he poops)

Unfortunately, he still has a snotty nose. During the day he looks pretty good but by morning he is a boogery mess. Maybe he will always have a snotty nose. The main thing if the klebsiella bacteria is killed off so it isn't eating the bone.

the wild pigeons of Salisbury beach part 68

What I discovered after giving Craow Dum his treatment for 10 minutes that there was still solution left in the nebulizing cup. This worried me because I thought he needed the entire 10 ml absorbed at each treatment. Only half of the cup was used. According to my vet books this is the best choice of treatment to attack respiratory illnesses. I am cautiously optimistic.

So this morning, I left him in the tank for 30 minutes. He didn't seem to mind it. I kept checking on him to make sure he was OK. His nose looked clear which was a good sign. I emailed the vet my concerns, just in case. She seems concerned with his welfare. She told me she had pulled over on the side of the road to rescue a pigeon with two broken legs. Most people would just ignore a pigeon in need.

*He looks kind of funny sitting in this container with a pipe emitting a vapor.

I use the downstairs bathroom as his hospital room. I don't really want the vapors to get to the other birds.

Meanwhile, I just picked up Billy Bob the love-bird to stay with me for a week. I got a bit nervous seeing his mushy poop in his cage. I was also worried because his water bowl was kind of slimy too. This is not a good thing. I threw his dishes in the dishwasher, washed out his cage and sleepy towel, and added some apple cider vinegar to his water bowl to clean out any nasty poopy germs in his stomach. He seems to be perky and active. Hopefully, I fought off any potential problems.

AAAAAH! There is never a dull moment in birdy-world.!

the wild pigeons of Salisbury beach part 67

* when I thought of Craow Dum having to use a nebulizer this vision popped into my mind

* Here is my make-shift hospital-nebulizer treatment center. It consists of the air-powered nebulizer snaked through an opening on the top covered with plastic in an 10 gallon aquarium.

* Here is Craow Dum having his first nebulizing treatment.

Craow Dum had a follow up appointment today . He got a second injection of 20mg/ml/ml doxycycline. He also got his baytril/saline mix for his nebulizer.

His culture showed that he had some nasty gram negative bacteria in his sinus :Klebsiella.

As I recall "Smitty" the budgie was infected with this bacteria as well. The vet suspected he caught it from eating dirty seaweed. Smitty was found outside on the beach pecking around on the sand.

I am guessing Craow Dum got this bacteria from a seagull bite on his beak. Both rats and seagulls are prone to carry klebsiella.

He may need one more injection of the doxycycline. As of right now, I had to fill the nebulizer cup with 10ml of the baytril mix and let it run for 10 minutes. I will have to do this twice a day for 5 days.

He didn't seem to mind being put in the make-shift nebulizing chamber.It is a 10 gallon aquarium with a plastic bag covering the top. I rigged up the tubing so it stays upright in order for it to steam out properly.

He actually fell asleep. I kept an eye on him to make sure he was just in fact just sleeping!

I hope and pray this helps him!

the wild pigeons of Salisbury beach part 66

a
The June 2012 issue of Bird Talk magazine featured a photo and "letter to the editor" I submitted about including pigeons in future articles. The letter featured the above "baby" photo of Croaw Dum.

As I look at the photo I feel sad that at that part of his life he still had somewhat part of his upper beak. Despite all his treatment, as of today, he still has a snotty nose. I do not think the doxcycline is working. From everything I personally researched and discussed with my vet the meds given to him should have worked. The next step is waiting for the arrival of the nebulizer, the lab results from the culture to identify the specific offending bacteria and next (and last) course of action.

It is so frustrating. We've come so far that I can't give up on him. I managed to cure him of gardia, fungus and feather lice so far. He's fat and happy. (328grams!)

Yesterday I was sitting on the top of the stairs talking on the phone I heard this little clatter of nails. I looked down and the pigeon climbed up the stairs looking for me. I've been feeling kind of shitty all week (migraine monsoon). I took time in the late afternoon to lay on the couch for the zomig to take effect. The pigeon would look for me and climb onto the couch to snuggle with me. ("Eddie" and "Fresh Baby" also flew in the room to perch on me as well.)

Stay tuned!

the wild pigeons of Salisbury beach part 65

Craow Dum has quickly become" the million dollar bird". Well, actually he is more likely "the thousand dollar bird". It is expensive to (properly) care for pets. If you" step up to the plate" to house an animal, large or small, you have to do it right. My birds are expensive to care for because they have to have a specialized vet. It makes me sick when I hear people who have birds tell me "that they never take their bird to the vet because it's only a bird".

Really...

Craow Dum had his follow up vet appointment today. He had a culture done of the mucus in his nose plus a doxycycline injection. It was a huge amount of meds and he was not happy afterwards. At least I know with an injection that the meds are in him now. Hopefully this will help him. He was a little out of sorts and very cranky after his injection.

Next week, he will need a second dose. In addition, I had to order a nebulizing system for him. He will be placed in an enclosed area similar to what you would put preemie babies in. I will set up a clean aquarium to put him in which will act as an incubator or isolation "room". He will be breathing antibiotics for a period of 10 minutes twice a day (At least to my understanding. Once I get the nebulizer in the mail I'll call the vet office for the prescription)

What ever is residing in his sinus cavity is pretty nasty. The other meds that he was on, which were broad spectrum potent antibiotics did nothing. This surprised me.

For the doxycycline, I had to remove his grit. Grit contains calcium silicates which interferes with this medication.

Once again, he was the star attraction at the vet office. The entire staff came into the operatory to see him. He likes the attention but he lets you know when he has had enough by "bustin'-a-move".

No, his beak will never grow back. The goal here is to stop the infection that is continually eating at the bone. Right now, it's "Judge Judy" time. This is his favorite TV show.

Easter..family guy style

*warning: gross 14 year old teenage boy humor

Ok I brought 'the cake" to my brother's house.

He took one look at it and cracked up saying, "Hey it's family guy! His chin looks like a scrotum!" As each Easter guest walked by the 'family guy" cake, the ladies said, "oh isn't that cute! You did such a good job decorating it" "Who is that? Fred Flintstone?" "Is that "Richie?"

However, all of the 'boys"(young and old) looked at the cake and snickered, "Hey it's Peter from Family guy!""His chin looks like a ball-sack! ha ha!" "Ha ha !He has balls for a chin!" "I want the piece with his chin!" "NO! I want it!""NO! I want it!"

When my mother got a whiff of the laughter and conversation involving "the cake" she was appalled. "It's Easter!!!!That's disgusting!" "Oh stop it!"

She was then greeted with more snickering and laughter.

Everyone was enjoying the cake giggling, laughing and eating it.

And of course, I just couldn't resist the opportunity.

My inner 14 year old came out.

"I'm so glad you are enjoying the cake, my birds enjoyed it too. Matter-of-fact they helped me make it and the pigeon left a "surprise". OK who got the bonus surprise?"

My oldest nephew turned white and dropped his fork.

"Oh come on! It's like eating a raisin!"

The rest of the kids thought this was hilarious and starting searching through the left over pieces for the "surprise".

My brother chimed in, "I think I got it! YUM!"

All in all, the "x-rated looking chin/bird poop" cake was a big hit.

We are planning a "family day at the movies" soon. (My brother, myself and the nephews)

Can you guess what movie we are all chuffed to see?

THE THREE STOOGES MOVIE!!!!!

(It's directed by the Farrelly brothers who brought to you: "Dumb and Dumber", "Shallow Hal" and "Me, myself and Irene" and "there's something about Mary")

The question: will we all get kicked out of the theater?

Don't ask me to make a birthday cake

ci
My brother's birthday is on Easter so I volunteered to make his birthday cake.

I don't make cakes very often, and only, for special occasions, because it is a messy-tedious-all- day-affair.

I make the cake from scratch and the frosting as well.

Baking the cake isn't a problem but the decorating takes hours. I am amazed at how the way the cakes are cranked out at the local supermarket bakery. I would get fired from that job as a cake decorator because I take forever going over the details.

The frosting is made of everything that is bad for you : powdered sugar, crisco, butter flavoring and vanilla (and food coloring). And yet, everyone raves at how delicious the frosting is!

After the cake was baked, cooled and ready for the frosting.I made the mistake of letting the birds out of their cages to stretch their wings.

(*Can you guess where this is going?)

I had two attention-seeking birds on my shoulder and one on my head as I was mixing up the frosting ingredients in a large bowl.I had two pound bag of powdered sugar gently getting sifted over the shortening as I was trying with one hand to maneuver the hand mixer.

FLAP FLAP FLAP! Here comes the pigeon for a crash landing!

Oh shit

Into the mixing bowl.

Powdered sugar EVERYWHERE...

I mean EVERYWHERE!!!!

Oh no!

He has spilled the food coloring all over the counter AND is now stepping in it.

He is now trying to land on my head. I have green food coloring all over the side of my face, shirt, hair, counter, floor and cabinets. The other birds are flying all over the place screeching.

Shit!!!!

Oh no, I just saw the pigeon squat to poop but where did it go?

I have greasy crisco in chunks splattered in spots. It is going to take me at least an hour (or two) to clean up the mess in this one area.

Stupid me.

I've got to put these birds back in their cages if I want to complete this project.

What the heck was I thinking that they would politely just sit nicely on my shoulder to watch?

OK after (another) two hours, I finally frosted and decorated the cake.

The kitchen looks like a disaster.

I look like a disaster, and the pigeon looks like a disaster.

I am still wondering where that poop went.

(!)

*see finished cake above with the "Family Guy" cartoon character

art therapy

When ever I get anxious about something I resort to doing something creative. This usually means painting something but sometimes I'll make jewelry or sew.

As you might guess, I worry constantly about my birds-especially lately with the pigeon. I hate to leave my birds home locked up in their cages all day. Lucky for me, I have a flexible schedule so I can be home and care for them. They enjoy their routines.

Since it is the Easter season I created an icon-like/mixed medium portrait of pigeons.

I used arcylic paints, fabric, ribbon, newsprint, jewelry bits, beads, glass stones, gold foil, and wood.

*see above

the wild pigeons of Salisbury beach part 64

I found an egg shell rolling around on the sidewalk by the beach.

It wasn't a chicken egg shell nor a robin's eggshell.

It was a pigeon's eggshell.

Baby pigeons (squabs or squeakers) are hatching early this year.

Last night I was awakened by the sound of a "scratching" noise followed by a bang. I thought for sure some @$$hole was trying to break in. I reached for the phone ready to dial 911 carefully waiting and listening for any other noise or voices before I dialed. I leaped out of bed peering out of the window trying to see if I could see any activity. All that I saw was that the bird feeders were torn off the back deck.

A very large raccoon was clawing his way on the back deck.

It is a miracle that my birds didn't go crazy with "night frights" from the noise.

Craow Dum, the pigeon, was "bustin'-a-move' calling. He, however, was clearly upset.

This afternoon, the vet called with the results from his cytology report.

Despite the massive barrage of a month long regiment of antibiotic treatment the report showed he has a serious bacterial infection (!)

Baytril is a broad spectrum antibiotic along with clindamycin which is used to treat bone infections had no effect.

Needless to say I was bit upset.

What ever bacteria this bird has is not affected by these meds. Therefore, the bacteria has to be isolated and clearly identified in order to find the correct antibiotic. From what I remember from dental school in pharmacology class is that different antibiotics are effective specific in treating anaerobic, aerobic, gram negative, gram positive with different modes of attack such as breaking down a cell wall or attacking the mitochondria in the offending bacterial cell, whatever.

sigh....

He has a visit next week for a culture in order to isolate the bacteria.

I hope we find out what it is and can successfully eradicate it. Maybe this is the reason he always has a runny boogery nose.

In the meantime, I am keeping him clean and well fed. He doesn't seem to mind me cleaning his snotty little nose. He probably can sense that he can breathe better without all that nasty debris stuck to his face and mouth.

I hope and pray we can find out and cure this chronic problem.

youtube stuff

Sometimes I will get links to funny and cute youtube videos sent to me by both friends and relatives.

And sometimes, I will "look up" stuff myself. Youtube was very helpful in caring and feeding my pigeon by watching one of the videos posted. I just could not get food in him without him choking. By viewing a video, I realized parrots and doves are so totally different, anatomically. You can not feed them the same way.

Sometimes I will look stuff up if I am trying to complete a craft project and I just need 'a little help" in solving a problem.

And there are times, when there is nothing on TV, I will watch cute bird videos WITH a bird on my shoulder to enjoy as well.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9NZnpleU0s

Here is a really cute video. This cockatiel reminds me of Patches.

I've tried to film them but I swear they know they are being filmed and they clam up. Patches will sing gleefully "Winchester cathedral"or the theme from "the Adams family". Whook used to sing "you're in the jail house now" quite a bit. He doesn't sing these long songs anymore. He is getting really old.

The poor ol' guy can not fly nor even jump to the next cage. I moved his cage closer to the other cages but I still found him on the floor. At about 5:00pm he will get chatty at supper time. "Merry Christmas" is one of his "new" favorite phases. That is better than his usual "F*&^ing pain!" and "Jesus Chriiiiist!"

Oh course, nobody believes me so I guess I've got to capture 'the moment" by videotaping and posting on youtube.

But I have to hide the camera on them!