Sinbad, Tess inside cage, she has no color but gray on her face & head, Olive up top eating a pea, Peetah inside, with his handsome white head, and G-bird up top.

There, you can see the three new birds, all rescues, Olive and Peetah came as a pair, with an egg laid soon after they arrived. They cut that out, maybe next spring or later this summer. Erica rescued Tess from a pet shop. I haven't researched it yet, but I think Tess & Peetah are the same type, she has no color on her head but gray and he has only white. But... Olive is his bonded mate, she appears to have a (wish I knew the term) blotchy color in her crest. They're adjusting well, Olive and Peety had been relegated to a back bedroom where their owners couldn't hear them, they're happy out here in my bird room, but Peety hasn't ventured outside the cage yet. Olive is quite adventurous, and as you can see... loves PEAS! Who doesn't love peas!

Grrrrrrr, always making work for meseff. Changed the nursery cage to another that I thought would be more comfortable, so now I gotta wash down the one I was using, hadda wash down the one I gonna use... cleaned out the nest box, you shuda heard the babies squall when I moved them into a paper towel lined bucket while I re-modeled their nest. All better now, and still those three "dud" eggs.

Just a beauty pagent in here! 

Sinbad is spending lots of time in the nursery cage, I guess he's hoping to be next in line for the nest box? Tess isn't comfortable enough to come out of the (community) cage yet, but she is taking bread from my fingers, I expect her to get out and about soon. Any day now! That business of offering a loved treat with your eyes hidden is really working. Most of the shy ones are taking their treat and I can watch now. Alex, who was such a hold out, actually dances in anticipation and comes right over to get whatever it is I'm offering. This morning Babe flew to my shoulder so she could get the toast I hadn't offered her! My breakfast! Little Rag!

Hmmm, well, kids, I've enhanced the latest pics of the birdy babies, but guess I won't repost them. Right now I have major problems with my computer, my video card is ka-put, I've ordered an ATI all in wonder card with tv out to tide me over till I can replace the whole thing. I don't even remember when this computer was new. Do any of you?

Oh, btw, Sinbad and Tess, the new comer, were doing the fertility dance this aftenoon. They ain't getting a nest box! She is quite a lovely girl, I'll post a pic when I get a good one.

Got a pic of the two hatchlings yesterday. Mom & Dad no longer feel they need to be on the nest full time. I guess that means I should get about doing something about the three dud eggs in there. I hesitate, because I don't want them to double clutch, which happened in 2003. We'll see, and I'll keep yawl posted.

Two darlings. You wake 'em up they wanna be fed!

Sorry for the flash washout, not enough light without it... Two lovelies! 

Both Babe and Alex out of the nest box at one time, so... Photo Op... two babies and three eggs, that doesn't seem quite right, there should be more hatched by now, but maybe those eggs weren't "right". No worry, two is enough, three more is fine, I won't candle them right away, give them more time.

OBOYOBOYOBOY!!! I heard the little peepers today, and Alex has been busy chomping down food to feed them. And, no, I can't show you, they won't both leave the nest yet, so there are still eggs to hatch. More when there is.

Spinning it up to ply with some other superwash. Wait and see. 

This is Merino Superwash half & half with Tencel 

This may end up backwards, I started spinning up the 50/50 Merino Superwash/Tencel I got off ebay from Http://www.winderwoodfarm.com
Just checked this link, and apparently they haven't published their page yet. Well, you can find them on ebay if you're interested.
The stuff is gorgeous, can't wait to feel the "hand" It should drape like a 50/50 wool/silk blend. It glistens, has a wonderful sheen. It should make great socks for kidlets, that Mom can toss in the washer and dryer. If my hands hold out! We'll see.

There are three unhatched eggs in the nest, I saw both of the hatched babies but could only photograph one. They are so tiny, smaller by half than parakeet babies. Little yellow downy things. The other can't get his head up yet.
So, looks like all is well in birdland today.

BABY! There is another there, but she's got it covered. 

This is a first! I actually saw a cockatiel bathing in the bath! Maybe some day I can quit the morning spritz baths. Ya think?

Babe bathing, while Momma Bat awaits her turn. 

Lovely, Babe (momma bird extrodinaire) loves bread... she SAT on my toast. She got the whole thing! Well, I wasn't gonna eat it after she'd had her feet all over it. She'll have plenty ...&*@#%$#* (can't spell either) LOTSA help, seven tiels, three keets and at least one Wee one so far.

Still haven't been able to get a view inside the nest box without mom or dad being there. Soon, they'll be so busy feeding, that I'll be able to see what's going on. Just don't want to push them.

After much research and some really useful training techniques gleaned from

http://www.birdtricks.com/free,

I finally got Alex to approach me and take food from my hand! Now he's been here forever, and I've just left him be his own shy self, not pushing for any kind of interaction that he hasn't been ready for. My goodness! I just sat with the favored treat held in my fingers, tipped my head down so he couldn't see my eyes (no threat) and he came right over and ate from my hand. How encouraging that was. He, Alex, is Big Daddy, he's on the nest right now.

Here are a couple pics for today. Big Daddy and Uncle G.

Alex, second day of first hatch. He takes his job seriously, hiss hiss hiss!!! 

G-Bird, grooming hisself atop the nursery cage. Handsome Uncle? 

How many birds do you see? 

Okay, somewhere I missed it. Today I peeked in the nest box, and THERE WAS AN EMPTY SHELL! Of course, Babe is in protect mode, because I'm opening the lid over her head, so there's no chance to see what she's hiding. I'll catch them both out of the box soon and get a picture that shows more than an empty shell. Didn't expect anything this soon.

Also, the BOYS, bachellors, G and Sinbad, have taken to touring the living room every other day. They spend the whole day in there and a couple days ago they discovered the mirror behind the old Singer. They were enthralled with they silly selves.

That's an empty shell, can't see the baby. Wonderful Momma Babe