Spick and Speck

As I'm driving home from work, the call centre requests I pick up an unknown fledging around the corner from my place.  On arrival I find not one but 2 squawking chicks, noisy lil buggers they are too.  Thanks to the joys of technology - by taking pics and sending via phone, I learn:
       1.       They are satin bowerbird chicks  - in need of hourly feeding
       2.       They eat fruit and insects
       3.       It is my responsibility to locate a carer - as I am not able to take the wee darlings into the
               office for hourly feeding
       4.       They are likely to be dehydrated and starving and I should do something about that pronto!

 Fortunately I have some Insecatvore powder that I mix with water then feed via syringe.  Lordy - they practically deep throat the entire syringe -  like I am squirting the stuff straight into their stomachs!  Many phone calls later, I find Lorraine, who is prepared to become their carer. So bundling the cage into the car - we meet at a mutually convenient spot. Feels somewhat clandestine to meet a stranger in the dark, on the side of the road, and pass over precious cargo.

The following weekend, I call to see how they are doing, and Lorraine asks if I would consider sharing care - she does the week days, I do the weekends. Yippee! I get to be a carer!  So for a few weeks they are dropped to me on a Thursday night, and returned on a Sunday.  On Friday's when I am working from home, I manage to shovel food down their beaks in between teleconference meetings.  We stretch the feeds out gradually - building up an  extra hour each week, so eventually they will only require feeding morning and night.

Ellie, my border collie, takes her guarding duties very seriously - ensuring no curious cats get too close when the chicks, now named Spick and Speck, are enjoying the sunshine - gathering much needed vitamin D.

 Spick (at the front of the cage in the picture above) has a much healthier appetite and is far more outgoing and adventurous than his/her sibling.  It show too, as s/he weighs in 50% heavier than Speck.  Spick is happy to flutter to my arm or shoulder and squawk  demandingly - seems to have a tremendous appetite for such a small being.

When Speck sadly dies (reason unknown, it just happens in birds sometimes...apparently - the loss still saddens me), Spick is ready for a larger aviary to in which to learn to fly.  A new aviary owning carer is found in the volunteer network, and off Spick goes.  Latest news is that Spick loves to fly and stretch his wings and he will be ready for release in a couple of months.

I am gutted that Speck didn't make it, but take solace in the fact that s/she was well fed and comfortable during the few weeks we shared, and that Spick is launched into life at full flight.