Annie and Angel, her Bourke's Australian Grass 'Keet

[Shirley]

Annie is our neighbor and was 8 when she first started learning to care for birds (Bourke's and Parrotlets), helping me handfeed, weigh, and play with them as little babies. She will be 10 this July 19, and now has two Bourke's, Angel her Rosy first, and Sammy her normal color 2nd, and she now plans to attend Purdue U. Vet school!! And eventually become an avian vet but still work with dogs and cats. She is, by the way, exceptionally intelligent and focused. Dr. Cook learned of this just a few days ago, and said she can begin volunteering in her clinic, just 10 min. north, at the age of 14!! And can visit her this Spring to meet Merlin and her staff! http://9.forumer.com/html/emoticons/bof/smile.gif

If you get Birds USA Annual magazine, Annie is on the last page of the 2003-04 issue, with a bunch of parrotlets - the theme was "Cuddly Companions", and she helped handfeed them.

Here's more of Annie:

With a very young Bourke's before she had Angel:

http://shirleymorgan.com/misc/Annie/Bourkes-17-days-old7-9-04lr.jpg

And with another young Bourke's while hoping her mom would let her have her own...

http://shirleymorgan.com/misc/Annie/P1010664-ed.jpg

And finally, she has her own Angel... the inset is Angel and a sibling as a small baby! She found Angel under her Christmas tree 2003.

http://shirleymorgan.com/misc/Annie/Annie-Angel-pip-12-9-03.jpg

[Jean]

Shirley, Annie and Angel are beautiful together. She is lucky to have you as her neighbor. The pic are beautiful like always.

[Majj]

I wish I had you for a neighbour cute Piccys...Nighty Night..
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v373/Maj/Gifs%20and%20siggys/YawnIAmSoTired-LMG1.gif

[Junkzoo]

Beautiful pics Shirley! And super story about Annie , lucky to have such a dedicated,focused youngster around to learn from you,,,,
Congrats on your Vet helping out also, :thumbup: ,to allow Annie to be in the "field", seeing how it's done, and to experience a vet's office/practice, from the other side of the counter:goodjob:

[Sue]

Annie's pic's are adorable as ever, she is one special girl:wub:

[Shirley]

Thanks, everyone! She's an awesome young lady! She's attended every bird show with us since she turned 8, including the Chicago show!

Some day, she hopes to have a Toucanette!
http://shirleymorgan.com/misc/Annie/3-Toucanette1-Annie-sm.jpg

And this is the Palm Cockatoo we saw at the Chicago show... not for sale.

http://shirleymorgan.com/misc/Annie/Palm-Cockatoo91-sm.jpg

:heart:

[SadennaAndFlock]

gotta love those little bourkes.....the toucanettes from what I have heard and read make great companions over the normal Toucans...Palm cockatoos are gorgeous..I have heard conficting stories about them, some people have said they don't make the best pets and I have heard from people they make wonderful pets. the gal I work for knows a lady right here in washington that has a pair of Black Palms, Pair of glossy Toos and a pair of Red tailed cockatoos she also does Hyacinths.

[Jean]

OMG, good pics! Shirley, Thank you so much for sharing bird outings and Annie's lovely pictures.

[NHMarie]

I remember Annie! I loved seeing all the pictures of her. I knew she had one Bourkes, didn't know she had two! Lucky girl!

[Shirley]

Hi Marie! Did you see the pic of Annie's first baby Bourke?? Her mom let her get a male last summer from someone else. He was fairly wild and she tamed him pretty well.

This Palm was quite wild. There was a fellow in Korea on another board a couple years ago who had a Palm that was his "baby" and quite tame. The Toucanette has a much nicer pet personality than the Toucan, but is also quite pricey, as is the Toucan. And a waiting list!

I'll pass your lovely comments on to Annie! :)

[amazing greys]

Shirley, I only could have dreamed to have someone like you in my life as a child!! What a wonderful person to take the time to teach her about birds. I bet you have just molded that little girl to be someone wonderful that will help the avian community in the future!! What a wonderful gift you have given her :thumbup:

:goodjob:

[Shirley]

Thank you Barb! She showed her interest, and so I just facilitated the best I could. With kids (I'm a teacher), whatever they are interested in, I facilitate it the best I can. I get to learn an awful lot that way! She's a huge animal lover, and she just didn't know how much she would love birds as well as her love that was already established for dogs, cats, bunnies, and fish! :) :thanx: