very, VERY close call

[mkasper]

Hi everyone, this is my first real post after an brief one in the introduction area. I just had a very scary incident with my 1 year old Congo Grey 'Ned'. I live in the Columbia River gorge area of SW Washington. Yesterday afternoon it started snowing a bit and I went outside to sweep snow off my satellite dish that I use for internet communication. Ned was riding on my shoulder as we often do. Like an idiot I raised the hand brush to start sweeping (the dish is about head height) and spooked Ned. He took off towards my rear and when I turned around - no Ned. Nowhere.

 

Now I should back up and say what when I first got Ned back on Feb. 27th, the breeders I bought him from had all 7 of his flight feathers cut back "severely" to paraphrase my vet's reaction when she first did a checkup with Ned. So I have been letting them grow,

and so far he only has 2 or 3 of the main flight feathers in place out closest to the tips of his wings. He flies a bit, but it's usually just a bit of a glide for 20 maybe 30 feet and then he's down. In fact since his cut was so severe, he broke several tail feathers by not being able to control his landings very well, but they are coming back pretty well luckily.

 

Back on topic, I couldn't find Ned and it was almost 4:30 pm and starting to get dark. I searched for a couple of hours everywhere I could figure he might go, and it was snowing more and now dark. I couldn't find him. It was 32 degrees outside all night. I was just sick. I called off the search around 9. I have a big place on almost 32 acres and it's pretty heavily forested so there was NO TELLING where he made off to.

Being scared when he is alone like this outside, he wouldn't utter a peep to give me a clue where he might be. I called and whistled some of our favorite 'tunes' and I didn't hear anything. He was in defense mode no doubt.

 

This morning I called into work and said I wouldn't be coming as I had to go out at dawn and continue the search. I searched for another couple of hours. I finally came in just devastated, heart broke thinking he probably didn't survive the extreme cold which he is in no way acclimatized to. He's strictly (almost) an indoor bird and used to indoor ambient temps.

 

About 11 am I made one last sweep, starting at the satellite dish and trying to visualize where I would have headed off to if I were him taking flight in that direction. I crossed the yard again looking under all the snow covered trees and shrubs thinking he'd most likely be under something like that. It snowed quite a bit more in the morning and we have about 4-5 inches by now.

 

I looked up across my dirt driveway and across a field fence into my blackberry infested 'pasture' area across - and THERE WAS NED up perched about 10' high on a very spindly maple limb only about 1/2" in diameter!!! I could hardly believe my luck!!!! I started talking to him and he gave out a peep or two

and a very abbreviated whistle while I ran around the end of the fence and started negotiating my way through the brush and berries.

 

He's now safe back in his cage, where it's warm and he's resting and eating. He seems pretty much OK but I notice he makes a tiny little sound while eating that I'd never heard before. Hard to describe, not a whistle. I think he's ok. I'm SO lucky!! He was outside in 32 degree weather, snow, etc for about 18 hours near as I can figure. I called my breeder and he just said to pay close attention to him for the next few days to make sure he doesn't come down with anything, and to watch for any discharge from his nose, etc.

 

I'm sorry for this very long post, but I have to tell other grey lovers who might be as naive as I was -

NEVER UNDERESTIMATE your birds ability to fly once his clipped wings start coming back!! I almost learned the hard way, as it is I think the whole deal took another 2 years off my life but I'm so lucky and glad Ned is back!! Our home is whole again. Even the cats were moping around this morning without Ned in the house!

 

If anyone else who manages to get this far has any other tips or pointers for what I should be looking for or looking out for re: Ned's health, I'd love to hear it.

 

Thank you all for being patient. I'm just so grateful I found my pet. Last night I barely slept. I was just sick. I'm so lucky! It will never happen again to me!!

 

Happy holidays to all!

I'll post some pics as soon as I figure out how.

 

/Mike

[judygram]

Oh Mike, we have heard similar stories before as you can imagine, of others who thought they couldn't fly far or high. But it does happen and when they get spooked it amazes people how high and far they can go.

 

I am glad it has a happy ending for I can't say that all have been but now you know better than to go outside with your bird unless it is on a harness and leash or in a cage. It is devastating to lose a pet and to lose one that way is especially hard when you don't know whether it is alive or dead.

 

I think your breeder gave you some excellent advice, just watch for any signs of distress, discharge or anything out of the ordinary.

 

You are truly blessed to have him back home safe and sound, and I can imagine it won't happen again for sure. I look forward to seeing pictures of Ned.

 

Thanks for sharing this hair raising story with us, you don't know how much you may have helped in preventing someone else from making the same mistake and maybe not being so lucky as you to have him back.

[danmcq]

Wow Mike, I know that sick feeling very well. When a Parrot takes flight, you didn't think he could, and then they FLY!! Then looked for him almost 48 hours before finding him.

 

Your message is an important one. NEVER think your bird cannot fly because he has been clipped!!

 

Thanks for sharing that. :-)

[BMustee]

Thank god you found him. I would be sick to my stomach if that happened to me too.

 

Keep an eye on him, but I'm sure he is fine. B)

[Laurie]

Wow, that was harrowing!

I'm glad all is well now!

[sandra902]

ok so in the bird magazine they show those heating panels and warming bulbs. what is the collective opinion on those?

 

man-oh-man my heart sank as i began to read your post. how relieved your little guy is home and dry!

[Kibibi]

Oh my! What a happy ending Thanks for sharing.<br><br>Post edited by: Kibibi, at: 2007/12/27 14:31

[DUKEdevils36]

Im glad to hear that your bird is safe. My story isnt as scary as that one but I had just had my birds wings cliped and i decided to take him and his play stand out side on the front porch. While I was helping my parents with some yard work all the sudden there was a gust of wind and thats all he needed. He glided across my yard, the street and landed in my neighbors yard. Well that was enough of a scare for me so now when i take him outside he is in his cage.

[spookyhurst]

I've done the same dumb thing, Nikko LOVES the outdoors, and when she was clipped, I would step outside on the back patio to let her look around. One of my neighbors likes Nikko, but can't come inside because she is wheelchair bound. I brought Nikko out to the front of the house, and I can't remember why, but she spooked. She was clipped, so it was her usual glide down...but it was out to the street :ohmy:. Our street is pretty quiet, but there is the occasional crazy person who drives down it a hundred miles an hour. Much to Nikko's dismay, she can now only go out in her travel cage. I wish I could get her to wear a harness, because she just loves being out in the open.

[chapala]

So glad you got him back! I can imagine the incredible relief you felt when you found him safe!

Reta

[AzureClarity]

:ohmy: Oh my guard, that sounds so scary! Glad you got him back safe and sound. :3