Tobie takes flight

[Luvparrots]

You go Tobie!!!! Congrats on your growing flying skills!

[rbpittman]

WTG Tobie & Jan. You give me great hope for Beau!

 

Robin

[Janfromboone]

Tobie is flying with more confidence now. He still hasn't learned to plan his landings. He does though more frequently just lift off of one surface and float down on another such as one end of the sectional couch to the other or from the sectional couch to the stairs going upstairs. This is about 20% of the time that he flies now. The other 80% of the time he seems to have no idea of where he intends to land and usually ends up fluttering up to a wall(no crashing anymore)or window and acting like he thinks he has suction cups on his feet and can just grab the wall someway. Of course he slides down the wall or window to the first supportive surface or the floor. I'm looking forward to the day he simply moves from surface to surface 100% of the time. Has anyone else had the experience of watching a bird learn to fly later in life. I'm wondering how long it takes for these poor landings to stop. Of course he is not injuring himself. He usually approaches the wall or window in verical position and softly touches it with his feet before fluttering to the floor. Here are some of my home modifications that I've done to try to keep Tobie safe for his new flight ability.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8oIFEaOzSg

 

I've got some bad news about his wing though. He has lost two feathers. One feather came out quill and all. And the other looks suspiciously chewed or broken. the feathers were side by side and I wonder if he knocked out the first one in his fluttereing into things and then a pin feather came in to replace it and thats when the other one that was cleanly broken (still a blood feather) was found. I don't really understand how he could have a new pin feather when these feathers all are just now coming in. He does though have a new pin coming in the gap left by the loss of these two feathers. Anyway it hasn't seemed to change his flying attempts and he flys quite well gaining altitude when he wants to.

[pearllyn]

The etched windows and beads in the door are a great idea Jan - no way Tobie's going through that door as long as he's scared of the beads!!

Thanks for the vid - it's good to see you've gone to such lengths to keep him safe.

x

[danmcq]

Those are great modifications and I think actually enhance the look. :-)

 

It sounds like during some of the wall and window fluttering down may have impacted the primaries you described.

 

Once one broke, the other followed quickly do to a loss of support from the other feather.

 

Tobie is certainly not afraid of learning flight, where good perches are and where perching is impossible. They all learn in the same way even when fledging as a young chick.

[Janfromboone]

I've noticed Tobie has been gaining confidence and his landings are improving. He flys to the bird netting often - It works like a trampoline and he can't get hurt. He also more frequently will fly to his playstand or from one side of the couch to the other. His confidence in other types of play is growing too. He used to never play upside down like I've seen Emma do on her videos. I think he was afraid of falling. Now he seems to delight in doing flips upside down on his swing. Here is a video.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07OZRLvYiKM

[pearllyn]

It's great to see Tobie becoming more confident Jan. Thanks for posting this vid - I just love him to bits.

[judygram]

It is a real confidence booster for him to be able to fly, he can do more of those awe inspiring hanging upside down and with one leg and he seems very happy with himself, it is fun to watch them doing this.

 

Thanks for sharing this with us Jan.

[danmcq]

Wow, Tobie is doing GreYt and nailing those targeted landings! It's so wonderful to see him mastering flight and gaining the confidence he displayed in this video.

 

Thanks for posting it Jan! :-)

[Janfromboone]

Thanks for your support and comments. It has been slow but I can definitely tell a difference. I love that he can now do what he should have been doining all along. Jan

[Luvparrots]

Love the video. Tobie sure was having fun on that little Atom! Congratulations on your flying, Tobie! Way to go!!!

[judygram]

Janfromboone wrote:

I love that he can now do what he should have been doining all along. Jan

 

Exactly and this is what I want for Josey too and I may get her there eventually as she has a couple of new flight feathers on that one wing, just waiting for more.

[Janfromboone]

Judy, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for Josey. Hoping the feathers keep coming.

[judygram]

If your Tobie can do it then Josey should be able to also, it helps to know that others have accomplished this with their greys so hope springs eternal.

[katana600]

I somehow missed this thread with Tobie and his new flying skills. He looks great and is having a good time learning to fly. I look forward to when Kopi molts and regains his flight ability. It is just awesome to watch Tobie and he certainly has learned some moves. I am thinking it won't be much longer for Josey to start flying too. I am really encouraged by all of our forum friends for the efforts and patience in helping our birds to be free and flighted as much as possible.

[Janfromboone]

Hopefully Kopi won't have the problems Tobie and Josie have had and all will go smoothly. I think it's been harder for Tobie to learn to fly and land because he is almost three years old now.

[judygram]

Then it may be harder for Josey for she is going on 4 years old, it seems like forever but I am optimistic she will accomplish it soon.

[Janfromboone]

If Tobie can learn to fly Josie can too. He still has a way to go, but his bad landings aren't as scary to me as those sickening thuds to the ground and he hasn't had any injurys with his awkward flight.

[judygram]

Well I am real hopeful Jan and seeing what you have done with Tobie makes me feel like it will happen.