Disappearing act & a lesson learnt

The other day, Bezukhov did a disappearing act on me.

All four were out & flying about.   I was standing facing the manor.  They all took off & were doing laps & returning to the manor…  only this time, just 3 returned.  I assumed Bezukhov had stopped off at the ferplast, or the playgym or the window perch.  However, something concerned me & I turned to check.  I scanned those familiar locations but he was not there.

Maybe he is inside the ferplast? I stooped & peered in.  No.  Maybe he actually very quietly returned to the manor behind my back?  No.  Eating seed inside the manor?  No.  Playgym again?  No.  Gone inside Phinny & Thomas’s cage?  No.  Behind the playgym?  No.  I hadn’t heard a thump or anything but was he on the floor?  No.   By this time I was seriously worried.  BEZUKHOV!  BEZUKHOV!  BEZUKHOV!

I scanned the room frantically & then finally, I saw the curtain twitching.  Somehow he had managed to get behind the curtain.  How, I do not know.  I moved the curtain & put my hand out to him & he stepped on.  My lovely Bezukhov was fine.

I’m fine, Mama!

–

This incident reminded me of something similar that happened to the puddings…

It happened a long, long time ago, pre-toyboys.  Atilla & Raspy were out & about in the lounge.  I went into the kitchen for about one minute.  When I returned, both girls were gone!  Where were they?  I had not heard anything whilst in the kitchen so had assume all was ok.  They were not in or on the manor.  They were not on any of their other perching spots.  They were not on the floor.  I was momentarily stumped.  Completely amazed.  They had both vanished into thin air…

Then I heard some fluttering.  It was Raspy.  She had fallen behind the TV & was flapping her way out.  Such relief.  She was fine, if a bit put out.  I helped her out & deposited her back at the manor.  Atilla was still missing.  I deduced that Atilla must be near the TV too…  I searched the various bits & pieces hidden away behind the TV.  There was a picture propped up against the wall & next to it a small, but hard-cased folder for papers.  She had slid down between the two items.  I moved the picture but she was wedged.  It was at this point she started kicking up a fuss.  I eased my hand in & I recall she dug her beak into my finger & was then able to climb out, up my hand.  My dear girl was fine, if a bit shaken up.

I was shaken up too.  After giving it a lot of thought, the only reason I could think of for that happening was that they both did the “bookcase run” (basically, a fly from the manor across to the bookcase behind the TV) & on the turn, bumped into each other, resulting in both landing heavily behind the TV.

Fortunately, no harm was done but nevertheless, I learnt two things from this:

1) Bird-proof a room as much as you possibly can.

2) Supervise all outside cage sessions.

Raspy & Atilla

–

There endeth the lesson!