Honey has graduated from his cone! His daughter, Ginger, is completely obsessed with helping him preen. (That would have been more helpful while the cone was on.) His mate Lemon didn’t care much when his cone went on, but also didn’t react when it came off. #cockatiel

Happy 1st hatch day to Spritzer! We made angel food cake for our sweetest angel bird. #cockatiel

On this National Flag Day, the Maple Leaf flies at half-mast. Today our flag carries a message for the community of Tumbler Ridge: Canada is with you.

Honey is in great need of a spa day, but his toe is healing very well and he only has one more week of the cone. Here he is, crusty but grinning because he’s been out exploring with his family. #cockatiel

At first when we heard the rattle, we thought that there was something wrong with Spritzer’s beak. Then we realized it was percussions in a musical routine. Now Earl has learned “the woodpecker.” #Cockatiel

Honey enjoying some gentle budgie chatter from Pompom. It’s the first time I’ve let Pom close to Honey since the surgery, and he had a lot to say… all surprisingly nice. #cockatiel #budgie

Honey, scruffy but healing, has had enough of sleeping in a banana box. He and Lemon have been on a special diet which I just realized was missing the raspberry tea because Lemon started doing a horny hen dance and looking for her nest box. Caregiving for a tiny angry bird is exhausting. #cockatiel

Ginger moulted this. I used to think that many baby cockatiels had damaged feathers because of poor nutrition and restrictive cages, but after raising three well cared for free-flight chicks, it turns out they’re just energetic little idiots who will fly into any obstacle (including the ceiling).

I’m happy to announce that Early Bird, shown here in downy translucent beauty on his hatch day, finally responds to his name! #cockatiel

Personally I call it #plumescrolling. I post mostly cute bird pictures here instead of my usual social activism and doom rants because we all need a little escape!

I brought Honey out of his banana box for a couple hours this morning while the other birds and humans were asleep. He’s happy (except for the part where I wrestle him to give him meds, and not being able to preen after) and relaxing on the soft chair back. #cockatiel

Visiting hours at the hospital cage. All the birds came by to see Honey and check out his new cone. Honey is doing well. He escaped me during his medication and managed to fly upstairs to his cage in the loft, despite the cone. He does NOT like sleeping in the vet-ordered banana box. #cockatiel

In other news, #cockatiels look like frogs when x-rayed. Here is Honey after his toe update.

Honey is out of surgery and will be home in a few hours, minus a toe. The other birds have been somber and are sticking to me like glue in his absence (but refuse to make eye contact, in case I take them away too.) #cockatiel

Sorry Mom, I forgot to stop chewing and now my walls are gone. Can I have another box? #budgie

Skittle built a nest in our napkin box. Pompom is NOT allowed inside, but he keeps her company from above. #budgie

Approaching blackout. Yikes. I’m not sure what this bacon pancakes thing is but I should probably put the #cockatiels in my will…?

My sweet Honey bunny broke his foot. $800 of vet bills (so far) and 3 weeks to go of medication and isolation. I’m watching videos of his chicks beak-grinding on loop to try to distract myself from the feeling of my guts falling out. Dammit #cockatiels, quit being so wonderful and fragile.

I’m bringing this back. 🪶

☀️☀️☀️

With everything going on with Twitter, I'd like to remind everyone that Tumblr was flagging pictures of Captain Olimar because the algorithm thought his nose was a nipple.

Ginger’s been on a playful spree. Today, she discovered my feather pen and couldn’t resist. #cockatiel

Happy #NationalBirdDay from the scarlet ibises, green-cheeked conures and ringed teals! [via Vancouver Aquarium]

Gaaaah the dystopia! Quick, more birds to fill the gap. Here’s an old picture I took of a robin at the Roman Forum, giving some much needed “this too shall pass” vibes.

Honey and Lemon, investigating why there’s a robot vacuum dock in the corner where their nest box was at this time last year. No eggs yet, thankfully, but there is a little breakthrough hormonal behaviour. #cockatiel

Earl: I am big scary bird with big scary wings. Pompom: cool! Let’s play! (Pom did not stop chattering happily all through Earl’s grandstanding) #budgie #cockatiel

Well I finished Olimar’s Shipwreck Tale again just to spend some time with the old gent. Now what? I should probably load up classic #Pikmin but I think the Pikmin 4 lack of difficulty has made me too soft.

The feathered five love it when the family is all home for the holidays and can carry them everywhere. They could fly, but…why? #cockatiel

#parrotSky is the best timeline cleanse! For tired souls like me, it’s super easy to donate a month with Apple Pay.

Lemon screamed with joy when we called for dinner today. She loves charcuterie boards almost as much as I do! #cockatiel

Six of seven birds know and respond to their names! Only Earl is left because his name doesn’t seem to appeal to bird ears. The family won’t get on board with TEAEARLGREYHOT so we agreed on Early Bird - because he wakes us up by screeching like a turkey. #cockatiel

Skittle’s birthday is coming up soon. I’m reminiscing about how she used to sleep in my hair when she was a baby. What do you get for a birthday gift for a #budgie?

Ginger is an accomplished watch thief. That little bleep of satisfaction when she gets it unlatched… #cockatiel

Ginger and Spritzer. I’ve been working on bonding with Ginger so she spends a lot more time with us now. She even answers to her name with the cutest little squeak! #cockatiel

Skittle in just the right lighting for the closest photo yet of her true colour. A patch of sky blue on her tummy and two patches of almost-violet by her neck and feet. She’s just tinted enough that everyone who sees her in person exclaims “she’s purple!” #budgie

#budgie chatter from Pompom. After the other birds are in bed, he sneaks back downstairs (because he’s a smarty-pants who can open his cage) for some one-on-one playtime.

Ok, but nobody has answered my question: with no captains, WHO PLUCKS THE PIKMIN

Stop the presses. Spritzer is wolf whistling at Olimar! ❤️ #cockatiel #pikmin

This is our fourth year with Lemon, and I just realized we got through her first November with no eggs! She’s a chronic egg layer (30 in the first year). The vet recommended raspberry leaf tea. It’s magic! #cockatiel

It’s bird bedtime, and the baby tiels had no intention of telling me about their secret sleepover friend. #cockatiels and sneaky #budgie

Today I crash-landed on the tree and Mom took pictures instead of helping me! - Spritzer #cockatiel

Skittle spent all day fluffed up on the cold window perch. She knows that the fairy light curtain is going up, so it’s her equivalent of chaining herself to a tree to stop me. #budgie

"As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly!”

Honey saw the tree and started singing Jingle Bell Rock. Not Jingle Bells, which I’ve been whistling all month, but the first song I tried (and failed) to teach him in November 2022. Wild how it’s been in his head all this time and is still associated with the tree. #cockatiel

Content Ginger and Spritzer #cockatiel

The first holiday glamour shot of the year! Lemon is always a good sport. The babies have never seen the tree before so they’re still a little nervous. #cockatiel

Spritzer singing Don’t Worry Be Happy in the Saturday morning sunshine. I’ve got projects to work on today bird, stop being cute. #cockatiel

Pompom stripping every last leaf off the live basil. #budgie

Skittle, aka Skyrat, has figured out how to throw toothpicks and sunglasses off the shelf and cans from the recycling basket onto the floor. #budgie