Wednesday, April 16, 2008

S.O.A.R. Class

Lots of time between posts, but I (Neal) am taking over on the Blogging, so it should be a little more regular...

Things have been going well here at the rescue, with many birds coming and going... but we have been overwhelmed with all of this between all the people calling and needing birds picked up, cleaning all the messes etc.. It has made correspondance very difficult especially because both Phoenix and I have regular jobs now.

The next online basic bird class will be on April 30th at 8pm. Here is the invite info:

Topic: S.O.A.R. Birds 101
Host: Neal Dolphin
Date: Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Time: 8:00 pm, Eastern Daylight Time (GMT -04:00, New York)
Session Number: 712 620 155
Session Password: soarclass
To join the training session:
1. Go to https://sungardhe.webex.com/sungardhe/k2/j.php?ED=105161342&UID=1020486747.
2. Click "Join".
3. Enter your name and email address (or registration ID).
4. Enter the session password: soarclass
5. Follow the instructions that appear on your screen. Note: You can view more information about the session at https://sungardhe.webex.com/sungardhe/k2/j.php?ED=105161342&UID=1020486747.

Conference call # 800-829-7418 Room # 2902150

Tuesday, January 1, 2008

Lots of News!

Hi All,

I have lots of news for everyone. But first, Neal and I hope all of you had a wonderful holiday. Ours was pretty good. Lots of bird stuff going on.

Ok.... we recently received an Eclectus named Romeo and almost as soon as we got him in, he got adopted. Is that awesome or what?! He is a sweet bird who has some issues that his new owners are happy to help him with. He has been to the vet and got a good check up so he is ok and on the way to happiness! Yahooooo! We love happy endings!

We also have fostered out Harley to a wonderful home. This is only a temporary situation to see how Harley does. If she does well, he may take her for good. Would that not be awesome?! Harley is a good bird who just has some special needs. I think with the right person(s), she will thrive. So, we are keeping our fingers crossed for this story to end good as well.

Just yesterday, we were happy to receive a beautiful Goffin's Cockatoo named Oscar. Oscar is a very spoiled bird who needs some direction. But, what a great bird he is! And, the good part is that he is going to our friend Corene to become a part of her flock. We are hoping that Lola and Oscar will get a long well and will become friends and maybe this will help Lola with her self-mutilation issues? We are very hopeful for the scenario to work out.

In other news.... I start my new job tomorrow. I am a nervous wreck. But, I think it will be a good job. I hope it will all work out. I don't know if I told you what I will be doing but it will be doing customer service on the telephone. Clients will call in to have their password reset and that is what I (and the others) will be doing. It is going to be scary at first because I have never done anything like this. But, I am sure after a while, I will get used to it and it will be fine. There is a lot of detailed computer work involved and I am a bit nervous about that. But, the money is good and the company is awesome! I am excited.

We are going to be giving our Pet Birds 101 class online this time. Is that cool or what?! We are going to try something new to see how it works. We are thinking it may be more convenient for people to do it this way. But, we wont know until we try. What are your thoughts about it?

Well, I think that is all for now. I will update again very soon.

Thank you, again, for checking in and have a super day!

Phoenix and Neal

Thursday, December 20, 2007

Long time no hear everyone!

Sorry about taking so long to update the site. We have been extremely busy with bird rescues and work. So, here we are again.

First things first.... we are having our Pet Birds 101 class on Dec. 23rd at the Central Florida Zoo. There is no cost to come to the class and it will be approximately one hour long. Please come out and see us. We will be in the building before you enter the zoo on the right hand side. Can't wait to see you there!

Also, we have finally received our Tax Exempt status. Yahoooooo! Now we can start asking for grants. If anyone who is reading this has any idea on how to do that, please let us know. We can use your expertise.

All the birds are doing well. We have gotten a few new additions to the flock. We have also had some that have been adopted out to great homes. This is wonderful news and it is all we want for these lovely animals.

Also, I am now working with my husband at his place of employment. I started on the 17th and am soon to be on the phones doing my actual job, which will be customer service on the phone. Whooohoooo! I can't wait to get started!

Hopefully I will be able to update the site more now that I will be working at a place where I can actually be on the puter. You will all probably get tired of me typing. LOL!

The rescue is going so well. We just wish me had more room to fit all the birds that need our help. Maybe in a few years or so we can upgrade. Wouldn't that be nice? YES!

Last weekend we did the Toys for Tots at the Chanel 9 location. That was really fun. We brought a couple of birds and just hung out and answered people's questions. It was a fun time.

Ok, have to go for now. I promise I will upkeep the blog more. Thanks for taking a look and we hope to see you again.

Until then, take care.

Phoenix and Neal

Friday, September 28, 2007

Class on Sunday, Oct. 14th at 2pm at the Sanford Zoo

Hey everyone!

This is to let folks know that we have scheduled the basic bird course at the Sanford Zoo in the Discovery Center on October 14th at 2pm.

This is a required course for folks who want to adopt from us, and we also have volunteers and Fosters take the course as well...

Hope to see you there!

Neal

A eulogy for a Friend

This is Neal...

Bobby died yesterday, and I lost it.
I have been trying to handle the stress of all the other things going on, and the grief of Bobby's impending death. Phoenix brought her (turned out to be a girl) to Dr. Holder, and her cancer had progressed and there was nothing they could do. The put her under anesthesia and gave her sodium barbitol.

Phoenix had been crying all the day before, and most of yesterday, and as I started to take down her cage, I just totally lost it, and wept.

Bobby is a special story because she was wild caught and had such a miserable life before us. She was several days from dying when we got her and she was in bad shape. With us she got good food, a huge cage with plenty of toys, and we let her grow her feathers out so she could fly. She loved to fly around the room and would squawk seemingly with joy at her freedom of movement. She was caught in the wild over 15 years ago and brought to this country to be a breeding bird, and lived all that time in a small dirty cage, pumping out babies for her owners profit. When she got sick, all they cared for was to unload the bird on someone else and make a profit.

Phoenix found her like this at a bird show. The breeder was drunk and Phoenix desperately wanted to buy her to save her, and I wouldn't let her because it just encourages the breeders behavior.

That night Phoenix had nightmares, and she tracked down that breeder and bought her anyway.

We rushed Bobb(ie) to the vet and had her treated for a bacterial infection, and she had surgery to remove a tumor on her cloaca. $900 later she was healthy... for the moment.
We knew that she still had cancer, and it was just a matter of time, but she was an amazing fighter and she did her best to stay alive.. When she molted, she went from having dull sickly feathers to bright new ones, and when her wings had finished growing, she would test them on her t-stand like a helicopter ready for take off, Squawking the whole time. She then would fly around the room in circles, enjoying what birds were meant to do.

I was hoping so much to finish the outdoor aviary so she had more room to fly, but that was not to happen.

Several days ago, she started to rapidly go down hill, and Phoenix would hold her to let her know she was loved. Finally, we had to take her to the vet, and release her from the pain she was obviously in.

Later the vet told us that she had cancer all through her intestinal track, so really there was nothing that could be done.

Bobby was an inspiration, and one of the reasons I do what I do. I hope that Phoenix and I made up, even just a little bit for the horrible things that were done to her, and gave her a little joy in life.

Bobby, we love you, and hope you now can fly free.

Thursday, September 27, 2007

Sad News

Hi All.



I have some sad news to report.

Bobby, the Blue Crown Conure we rescued about a year ago has lost his battle with cancer. I noticed yesterday he was acting kind of funny and this morning I had to bring him to the vet. The vet had a poor prognosis and so we had to have him put down.

I guess this is a good thing as he no longer has to suffer. And, he has lived a great life since he has been with us. He was able to fly and eat good food and had a nice, huge cage... something he never had before.

Bobby was approx 15 years old and was captured in the wild and brought to the states. He has had a rough life and when we got him, he was almost dead. But, I am so thankful we got Bobby out of the bad situation he was in and that he enjoyed this last year in a good, loving home.

Bobby, you will be missed in our flock and I hope to see you again someday. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to be your friend and I hope wherever you are you are happy and can fly free every day. Bobby, we love you.



Thursday, September 6, 2007

Handsome and Pretty the Parrotlets


This is Handsome and Pretty. Both are Parrotlets. He is the darker blue one and she is the lighter. Both he and the female, Pretty, have to go together as a pair. They are not friendly and will bite. They will need a large cage to fly around in. Both are fed pellets so there is no need to wean them. They also love apples and fruit of any kind. I will attach a photo of Pretty also. Please see above. If you are interested in adopting these two, please let us know.