All hail my new SQUIRE!!!!

[Scotty Hunter]

Squire is now 9 days old, and doing excellent! He's growing like crazy, got his legband a few days ago and it looks great. His wing feathers are coming in, and so are his tail feathers.

His eyes are big and bright, and he is getting much more vocal, peeping at his parents and at me.

I've been handling him several times daily to keep him tame and friendly, he doesn't seem to mind it much and I'll keep doing this to both socialize him and check him for injuries or parasites.

Here are some updated photos of the 9-day old monster. 

[Merlin the Elder]

Looking good, Sam!

[Rogue Hidesmith]

That last pictures looks like you put a bird head on a cactus! Very cool

[Scotty Hunter]

  It does look a bit like some cactus I've seen at garden centers!

Today our heat index hit a lovely 106F, and the breeze feels like one wooshing out of an oven. I opened up a couple more windows on the pigeon cage to provide more air and they seem to be doing just fine.

I'll post some photos of Squire again tomorrow.  And I have a video too I'll try to remember to get on youtube soon as the wifi cooperates with me.

[Scotty Hunter]

Ok ok, I lied about posting pics of Squire. He's doing great and I WILL get some updated pics of him up TONIGHT! I promise. I know how much demand there is to see him.

I've also been a bit sidetracked caring for Robin Hood, a young unfeathered robin whos parents abandoned him in the nest due to the heat, Hood's brother was already dead. Deer have been doing it too, abandoning their midsummer fawns, though (luckily) I have not come across any in need of help.

Pics of Squire AND Robin Hood to come tonight, I promise.

[Scotty Hunter]

Wow, I am terrible.  Didn't get the pics resized and uploaded yesterday because, well, Im a slacker.

But I took some photos today and here they are!

Squire is 14 days old today (7/25/11) and is walking pretty well around the cage. He's started stretching his wings and is much more vocal, chirping and squawking now and then.

Here is a photo of him and his mom during breakfast time:


And Squire is now too much bird for one hand! He used to fit on 3 fingers, now he flops over my whole hand and hangs off every side. haha.






And here is daddy, Andy. I believe he got sunburned yesterday! Looks a bit more pink than usual. lol



And here, as promised, is a photo of Robin Hood, the American Robin. He's about 5 days old, I've had him 48 hours now and he's doing well. Mom abandoned him due to the heat, and his nestmate was already dead. He's eating well and seems to be quite regular in the poop department.
He's not a pet and will be trained for release, but until then he's also a new photo subject.



And finally, for this post, a photo of 4 eggs from the Eastern Bluebird. This female raised 3 chicks to independence earlier this season and laid 4 eggs again last week. I'm looking forward to keeping an eye on the development of the chicks.

[dbaldock]

Thanks for posting!  Your posts are usually so much fun *(unusual and interesting, that is...  )* to read.

[Scotty Hunter]

I like to keep you on your toes, of course.

Funny story... theres an exotic animal auction north of us in Macon MO, called Lolli Bros. They sell everything you can think of animal-wise from anteaters and black bears, to yaks and zebras. I've never been able to go, but have wanted to for many years. Well their last sale earlier this month had a couple bottle-baby Grants Zebras, about 30 days old, for sale. A baby zebra, who wouldn't fall in love with that?!

I live at an RV Park/Campground, very dog and cat friendly place, and just for fun I asked the property owners if I could keep a baby zebra at my spot. The owner looked me right in the eye and said, "Absolutely. As long as you clean up after it."

So, just know, someday I will eventually be posting photos of my baby zebra. lmao

On that note... I  am building a gypsy vardo. And I would need an equine to pull it.