A hard lesson to learn!

[itchyfeet]

And one I'd read about plenty, but apparently I had to experience it for myself. Henry came to me in April from well meaning owners, who had socialised him beautifully. He was hand reared and clearly very well handled. He did have a very poor rockfall type wing clip though.

We've been quietly harness training, startle training and recall training. An hour ago I would have told you it was going swimmingly and I'm sure he'd come back to me if he got a fright. Given the rockfall wing clip, I've become somewhat complacent about watering the garden with him, without harness. I had noticed a few wee full length feathers that have returned, but He NEVER act's like he's even close to take off.

Then he got a fright.

He flew from the corner of my property, right over the section, over a couple of 6ft fences, and landed at the far back corner of the property behind me. The property behind that is a massive paddock - and this is a green parrot we're talking about! Once he'd cleared the 6 ft fences, he'd dropped out of my line of sight and I didn't know if he was in the paddock, or at the neighbours. My neighbours are the inlaws and are away at the moment, so I cleared their fence and searched their property, repeating a few of his favourite phrases. I couldn't find/see him anywhere. I scoured the paddock and the tree lines. My husband and children came out too. Eventually the husband found him behind the shed, by the boundary fence though some magic stroke of luck.

When he handed him back to me Henry's first words?

"PEEK a boo!"
Followed by a great big kiss.

Lesson learned.

 

[RavensGryf]

Oh gosh I was having a heart attack reading this! Thank goodness your husband found him behind the shed! It was meant to be that he was found, he was like the needle in a haystack. What a horrifying experience. I am so glad that Henry is back home safe with you.

 

[plumsmum2005]

My goodness my heart was in my mouth reading this. So happy you have Henry back, this is every owners nightmare.

 

[Birdman666]

OTHER LESSON:

ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS KEEP LOOKING. THEY'RE IN THE AREA AND THEY WANT TO BE FOUND!!! They may just be scared, and in hiding.

BEST WAY TO FIND THEM IF THEY ARE OUT ALL NIGHT IS TO GO BACK AT FIRST LIGHT TO THE AREA WHERE THEY WERE LAST SEEN, WHEN THEY VOCALIZE...

AND BRING A FOOD DISH! They might find you...

 

[Birdman666]

Oooohhh do I know this feeling...

I remember free flighting Pea Pod, watching her circle back the wrong way, and off she went. Hop in the car, and try to follow...

PLEASE LAND...

PLEASE LAND...

PLEASE LAND...

OH, CRAP! PLEASE DON'T LAND THERE!!!

Yeah... did that one a few times with Sweepea!

One time she landed in a tree ON THE MEDIAN DIVIDER OF A BUSY STREET! YIKES!!!

(Yeah, just one of many reasons why I stopped free flying! It isn't an exact science when your bird gets carried away with having fun (or gets spooked), and then goes off into the wild blue yonder.)

I remember watching Tusk get spooked and fly off into the woods lost him overnight FIVE TIMES... lost him for TWO WEEKS once, lost him for about THREE WEEKS another time.

Yeah. Your heart stops every single time.

Always keep looking, or they don't come home!

 

[Dinosrawr]

Ohhh that's so scary! I had a similar scare with Avery before, so I know how you feel. It certainly makes you realize how easy it is to lose them. I'm so glad Henry is safe and sound with your family again [emoji1]

 

[Allee]

I can imagine how terrifying that must have been. I know every second Henry was out of sight was absolute torture for you. I am so glad this story had such a happy ending.

 

[MikeyTN]

You were very fortunate to have Henry back!!!! I have had one bird flew off on me once many years ago. He flew to a very very tall tree in my front yard. Good thing I'm housed with a fire fighter, somehow I remembered there were long long poles in the garage, I dunno what they used them for? But I grabbed it and it barely reached him. He was sticked trained so he stepped up onto the stick when I held it infront of him. Then I slowly lower the pole then I had to make him to go from the tip of the pole to the side of the pole. I was quite worried that he was gonna take off again as I slowly pulling the pole towards me until I can reach him, I offered my finger and he stepped up, I held him close and push my chin down on him, dropped the pole from the other hand and cup him with the free hand and I ran inside the house....Boy was I lucky.....

 

[Mamaof3]

Omg reading this... I was like " no!!! Please let them find her!"

 

[OOwl]

Thanks for the head's up warning and reminder. We could all use to refresher on that. Glad yours was a happy ending and you got him back. Whew!

 

[wrench13]

I have had the unfortunate experience of having a parrot Fly Away Never to see him again and it is indeed heartbreaking. And believe me I looked and looked and posted notes and checked in Pet Shops but just no luck. My little Bebe parrot Max flew away one time and landed in a backyard several houses over from ours. But he gave his contact call when he landed and we were able to find him fairly easy. So I make sure that I know Salty's contact call very well. I am still undecided on whether to allow him Free Flight or not. Right now we are harness training very very slowly.

 

[Newbsi]

How scary! (although the peekaboo is freakin adorable!)
I admit that I take Gollum out with me on warm mornings for the kids to get on the bus. I tried her harness the other day and she bit me pretty hard. I have not consistently tried to get her use to the harness, that is my fault. Anyhow, I can imagine how scary that was! (peekaboo... still cracking me up)

 

[tresanewgrieve]

Good lesson learned glad you found them LOL like his first words after being found to you!!

 

[tresanewgrieve]

Seems taking them out with out a cage could be a bit dangerous I had my budgies in a cage in the yard on a nice sunny day and was sitting not too far from them when a hawk came down and crashed into the cage trying to get one of my birds..