Weeks 13, 14, and 15

Blogging is more difficult than I expected.  You'll notice that I skipped one week with my last post, and this time I’m skipping two weeks.  Sorry, I'll try to do better next time.

(remember that I still do not know Mardy's gender.  I'm simply using the male pronoun to make it easier to read this blog)

(Photo from Google Earth)

Week 13 was a very eventful week.  The local flea market where my breeder keeps his store is laid out with ten halls extending from a long central hall.  The flea market had a fire in one of the halls at the other end from my breeder’s shop.

The Fire Marshall closed the entire flea market pending completion of his arson investigation.  Although my breeder’s shop was not affected (and at no time were any birds at risk) we were not able to visit Mardy that weekend.  Instead, the second big event of the week occurred.  Mardy made his maiden flight!  Since we couldn’t come to see Mardy, the breeder sent us some home movies of the grand event.  Needless to say, we were excited.  My baby soared!

Week 14 was the week immediately after the fire at the local flea market.  Since the arson investigation was still underway, the flea market was still closed.  However, our breeder was able to open a temporary store outside under a patio awning. 

The breeder had clipped Mardy’s wings so Mardy would be safe in the outdoor shop.  The breeder gave me Mardy’s first clippings in an envelope and said, “Here’s Mardy’s first haircut!”

We sat with Mardy for a couple of hours.  This outdoor location was much more public than the area in which we normally play with Mardy.  A number of people came by to watch us holding this gentle giant.  A couple of young children were even brave enough to pet Mardy’s back (I kept my hand between his beak and their little hands just in case he got excited).   He loved the attention and the kids left with smiles on their faces.



Blurred hand shows how quickly the girl was moving



Mardy hypnotizing his young victim

My daughter encouraging a friend's baby to touch Mardy

















Week 15.  The breeder was able to reopen his shop inside the flea market.  The burned out flea market hall was an amazing sight.  The metal siding buckled from the heat.  The flea market must have a very good fire control system to have kept the fire contained to that one hall.

We sat with Mardy for a couple of hours.  I’m pleased to say that Mardy’s chest feathers have now grown to completely cover his crop.  On every previous visit we could always see that bulging bald spot.  It was a bit distracting.  Mardy continues to be very calm.  He never bites, although he does use his beak to hold on as he attempts to move along your arm.  He heads straight up the arm attempting to climb onto the shoulder.  We don’t permit this, so he ends up perching on our arm—with very good stability.  We measured Mardy at 27 inches from beak to tail



My daughter showing off Mardy's full length (27")

 

As we were leaving Mardy was starting to doze—too much excitement.