PEACHFRONT SPEAKS

peachfront eggs, peachfront chewing

2004-02-14 - 9:42 a.m.

© 2004 by Elaine Radford, all rights reserved

I'm not sure if all that many people click on banner ads any more, but in case someone is here looking for my Kenya diary, you can start right here. Don't forget my animal checklist or my bird list right here. There's also an FAQ right here. I'm hoping to get some more professional pictures from one of the other tour participants, but I haven't heard back from him yet. Stay tuned.

I had to split up Timmy and Sheldon this morning. They've been tunneling and snuggling away in their nestbox, which is fine as far as it goes, but Timmy got over-excited and started plucking again. Unfortunately, the pet shops nearby all simultaneously decided to stop carrying Bitter Apple, which worked so well before, so I've got to order more through the mail. Sheldon's head already looks a bit nibbled, and Timmy has done this sneaky thing of plucking the feathers on his back, so he still looks beautifully feathered when perched, but when he flies, you can see the naked back. Argh. I had those birds in perfect feather!

Ronnie has been sitting very tightly, with Courtney watching the nest box as protectively as any father zebra watches the herd, but I got a chance to check the eggs today when she came out for breakfast. Three eggs, and they all look to be in good shape. Keeping my fingers crossed...

Return to the Peachfront Conure Files.

I wrote something unfair yesterday. I thought that all of my herbs had died except for rosemary, lemon balm, and parsley. When I went out later in the afternoon drizzle to do a little yard work, I discovered quite a few more herb plants -- thyme, chives, green onion, oregano, chocolate mint, even something I can't identify. It might be the borage but I won't be sure until it flowers.

What does seem to be gone for good is the basil -- no surprise there, since we've had at least three freezes and probably more this winter -- and the Van Hootie which got trampled by the fence repair. Damn. I have to go all the way to Mizzell's in Folsom to get more Van Hootie because no one else ever seems to carry it. And none of the other salvia tolerates the deep shade.

I also found some garlic which sprouted in the fridge while I was in Kenya so I planted garlic this morning.

Speaking of Kenya, while I was studying a common canary there called the Yellow-Fronted Canary, I remember thinking, Why isn't this bird a Green Singing Finch? Well, yesterday I finally got around to comparing the Latin names and, lo and behold, the Yellow-Fronted Canary is the Green Singing Finch. That was the first pair of finches I had years ago, in a large planted, rolling aviary, and the male did sing as beautifully as a canary, although I did not succeed in breeding them -- probably because I kept moving apartments too often during those years. They were charming birds, and I'm glad to know that they still thrive in the wilds of the Mara.

back - next

All Rights Reserved, Copyright © 2002-200- by Elaine Radford