My routine was interrupted this morning. I had my second cup of tea after dropping the kids at school. I was out watering some new plantings before heading to work. A blur of color came along side, and I realized it wasn't a butterfly but a parakeet. This hungry little guy had honed in on the only human in the area, and after walking right up to him and doing a little dance up and down the top of the fence pickets, I caught it and took it into the house. He/she hung out in the back bathroom, sitting for a while on the little hand-scrubber brush by the sink, and later perched on the toothpaste tube. I drove over to a pet store and got some food, and this little guy dove right into the little butter tub as I filled it. I had first called the garden center nearby because they sell wild bird food and keep several larger birds. They didn't have the right food, but the woman I spoke with said she'd take the bird, since her daughter wants one. Perfect! I have cats, and think the temptation to misbehave around a cage would be too great for my two fe-lions. I picked up a loaner bird cage from the garden center and delivered him, all within about an hour of catching him. Yes, I know he was someone's escaped pet, but since he is a bird, he could have traveled a fair distance before he got hungry enough to attract my attention. Putting out "found parakeet" signs just seemed a bit of a reach, but if I hear of anyone who lost one, I might direct them to the garden center. Where a happy 12-year-old girl will have bonded with her new bird, brought home by her happy mother.
Interesting morning. My kids are going to complain that I didn't keep it for them to see, but they'd have fallen in love with it, and I already have enough work just keeping the cat boxes clean.