Saturday, February 25, 2017

Lorikeets, Long each California




The Long beach Lorikeets are in an outdoor, but large netted enclosure.  It opens to the public mornings at 10:30.  People line up to by $4.00 little plastic cups of nectar the birds love.  The birds know the time and start to make a lot of noise about one hour before people enter.  It is madness when they do enter.  People are instantly covered with birds.  They do not waste time on people without a little cup of nectar for them. The noise is almost deafening, but more beautiful than hip hop or like music.

Near the exit, where people have already donated their supply of nectar, I saw one bird all alone who did not seem healthy.  It was complaining loudly about no nectar. I told him that if he wanted to go with me, I would find someone who had a nectar cup.  He replied loudly and often.  I told him again and waited.  After about another minute, he flew to my shoulder and we walked back toward the entrance together where there would be fresh supplies of nectar.

Soon we found a little girl with the prized liquid.  I had to bend down in a C so the bird would lean over my shoulder to the girl's wrist.  The parrot really enjoyed the liquid.  But the girl's father said "This is no good. I want you to have your own bird on your hand, not on somebody's shoulder."

By this time, the parrot was so happy with the situation that it had jumped to my own wrist and was still drinking the nectar.  The father then said "Let's go.  I want to find  your own bird."  And he pulled the girl away while the parrot was still drinking.  But now the unhealthy little Lorikeet saw people arriving with new supplies and flew closer to the entrance to get what it needed.

And they all lived happily ever after,

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