ENGLISH SPARROW
Yes, that plain little brown bird all over America is actually an English import. They were brought over to help handle insect problems, and could become a problem themselves, but instead, just made itself part of the landscape. There is enough larger birds to keep their population in check. Again, being a wild bird I would never had had one had a downed nest not been found by the kids in the neighborhood after a snow. They do abandon their nests, frequently, again, not adding to an overage of population
Nearly 40 years ago I walked in to the Ukrainian Gift Shoppe in St. Paul, Minnesota, and walked out with several beautiful eggs. Thus starts a collection. Only a few are highly valuable, but they are all prized and enjoyed
Sunday, February 23, 2014
LOVEBIRDS
Lots of lovebirds in that aviary in California. And all in pairs. Lots of brilliant colors. Lots of eggs, the owner of that aviary could be inundated with baby lovebirds if he didn't know when to separate the females. He breed them for specific colors and spent a lot of time with them. They were beautiful and quite reactive to the human hand. I got several let me touch them, stroke their heads. They do love to respond. I can very well understand why they are one of our favorite pets. Just make sure you get a pair.
Lots of lovebirds in that aviary in California. And all in pairs. Lots of brilliant colors. Lots of eggs, the owner of that aviary could be inundated with baby lovebirds if he didn't know when to separate the females. He breed them for specific colors and spent a lot of time with them. They were beautiful and quite reactive to the human hand. I got several let me touch them, stroke their heads. They do love to respond. I can very well understand why they are one of our favorite pets. Just make sure you get a pair.
BUTTON QUAIL
I had to get a photo of a full size button quail in an adult human hand to show just how small this bird is. It's nearly "pet" size. The egg is much darker than a regular quail, but oddly, smoother too. I bought a dozen duck eggs to play with from in woman in Lakewood last year (2013) and she just happened to have an egg from her button quail. I was delighted to add it to the collection and consider it at "stand alone" egg.
I had to get a photo of a full size button quail in an adult human hand to show just how small this bird is. It's nearly "pet" size. The egg is much darker than a regular quail, but oddly, smoother too. I bought a dozen duck eggs to play with from in woman in Lakewood last year (2013) and she just happened to have an egg from her button quail. I was delighted to add it to the collection and consider it at "stand alone" egg.
ROBIN
There is a very good reason that blue sample at the paint store says "Robin Egg Blue" It's real, it's lovely and it's only found on Robin's eggs. If it hadn't bee a cold November day when the neighborhood kids found the abandoned nest on the ground, I don't think I would ever had had a robins eggs. I won't go hunting for, or collect wild eggs. I treasure the wild birds we have and wish we had a few more types here in Colorado.
There is a very good reason that blue sample at the paint store says "Robin Egg Blue" It's real, it's lovely and it's only found on Robin's eggs. If it hadn't bee a cold November day when the neighborhood kids found the abandoned nest on the ground, I don't think I would ever had had a robins eggs. I won't go hunting for, or collect wild eggs. I treasure the wild birds we have and wish we had a few more types here in Colorado.
BOBWHITE
One the purest white eggs I've ever seen, and they're that way in nature. Notice the pointed end. One of the few that is that pronounced. I'd love to have access to some for playing with, but enjoy the one I have. Looked up on youtube, and really, the bird say "Bob, bobwhite" in it's call. What a wonderful world we live in that I can hunt down the calls as well as the eggs. ..Oh, they are part of the quail family.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEKIAteCDYU
One the purest white eggs I've ever seen, and they're that way in nature. Notice the pointed end. One of the few that is that pronounced. I'd love to have access to some for playing with, but enjoy the one I have. Looked up on youtube, and really, the bird say "Bob, bobwhite" in it's call. What a wonderful world we live in that I can hunt down the calls as well as the eggs. ..Oh, they are part of the quail family.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEKIAteCDYU
The woman in Lakewood that was selling her farm gave me my first quail egg. They are interesting, from not just the visual part. They are rough in texture, and really come in a variety of sizes. I have several quail eggs now, more in the collection later, I've eaten and enjoyed, boiled quail eggs, trying to make an omlet out of one seems silly, but the are a delicacy boiled. I've played with several, and wear one as a necklace. Keep looking. I also like the bird. There was a cartoon I watch as a child and the quail was always "blowing" the top feather curl out of his eyes. I'll have to see if youtube has it.
COCKATOO
Walk into any pet shop and you are likely to find this very large, very white, very noisy bird. With that lovely crown of yellow feathers, they look like a great pet. Do be careful in your choice. They need company, not just need but really need. Leave them alone, and they stress, badly. Lose their wonderful feathers, get nasty tempered. They are affectionate and need someone to show it to. Was given this one from a pet shop. Most caged female birds will lay eggs, sometimes to the detriment of their health, but this store knew how to stop it. They had phony eggs in a pseudo nest they would put in the cage and the female would quit laying. They were only to happy to give me the egg and I was only to happy to add it to my collection.
Walk into any pet shop and you are likely to find this very large, very white, very noisy bird. With that lovely crown of yellow feathers, they look like a great pet. Do be careful in your choice. They need company, not just need but really need. Leave them alone, and they stress, badly. Lose their wonderful feathers, get nasty tempered. They are affectionate and need someone to show it to. Was given this one from a pet shop. Most caged female birds will lay eggs, sometimes to the detriment of their health, but this store knew how to stop it. They had phony eggs in a pseudo nest they would put in the cage and the female would quit laying. They were only to happy to give me the egg and I was only to happy to add it to my collection.
AMAZON PARROT
BIG bird, noisy bird, colorful bird. The gentleman in Van Nuys had several and lots of infertile eggs, if fact he was a bit frustrated how many he had. Amazons are had to raise, and highly prized. Recently I learned that people are putting them back in the Amazon by taking captive chicks, raising them in very large aviary s in the area and releasing them to the wild. They are magnificent in flight and human are finding out just how tough captivity is on the bird. They need lots of company and companionship or they loose their gorgeous feathers with stress. I adore the bird, but would never own one. But I do appreciate the one egg I have.
BIG bird, noisy bird, colorful bird. The gentleman in Van Nuys had several and lots of infertile eggs, if fact he was a bit frustrated how many he had. Amazons are had to raise, and highly prized. Recently I learned that people are putting them back in the Amazon by taking captive chicks, raising them in very large aviary s in the area and releasing them to the wild. They are magnificent in flight and human are finding out just how tough captivity is on the bird. They need lots of company and companionship or they loose their gorgeous feathers with stress. I adore the bird, but would never own one. But I do appreciate the one egg I have.
PHEASANT
Again a dichotomy. She's so plain, he's decked out in colors, prized for his feathers and both are hunted and raised for meat. But, considering she hides her nest in lowland grasses, both she and the egg need to be be that darn, hide in the shadow, coloring. I do enjoy visiting farms in Colorado and finding these eggs. Makes for a fun day, even if a horse steps on your foot.
Again a dichotomy. She's so plain, he's decked out in colors, prized for his feathers and both are hunted and raised for meat. But, considering she hides her nest in lowland grasses, both she and the egg need to be be that darn, hide in the shadow, coloring. I do enjoy visiting farms in Colorado and finding these eggs. Makes for a fun day, even if a horse steps on your foot.
Monday, February 17, 2014
DOVE
Now, this starts getting difficult, because the next several eggs about pretty close in size, so it's a bit hard to lay claim to what's next. I'm going with what my eyes see. So DOVE is next. If you ever get a change to hold a dove, DO IT. "Soft as a Dove" takes on a whole new meaning. I'm not sure why, but they just are, soft, tender, and they cuddle into your hands. At least the one in Van Nuys did. It sort of, curled into my hands, which is one of the reasons they're favored by magician. The other reason, is cover them, put them in the dark, and they go right to sleep. Take the over off and they're awake and alert. Which I could say the same
Now, this starts getting difficult, because the next several eggs about pretty close in size, so it's a bit hard to lay claim to what's next. I'm going with what my eyes see. So DOVE is next. If you ever get a change to hold a dove, DO IT. "Soft as a Dove" takes on a whole new meaning. I'm not sure why, but they just are, soft, tender, and they cuddle into your hands. At least the one in Van Nuys did. It sort of, curled into my hands, which is one of the reasons they're favored by magician. The other reason, is cover them, put them in the dark, and they go right to sleep. Take the over off and they're awake and alert. Which I could say the same
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