#id:prince

[rainyflock]

Condor has been Prince's little shadow all winter. Starting to wonder if I'm gonna end up with another girl, lol. Prince and his six girlfriends.

[rainyflock]

Professional nest box inspector hard at work

[rainyflock]

I'm. Probably not going to be back for a long while. After losing Huron on Saturday I came outside this morning to find out that Pog was gone.

Pog was my first bird. I had worked with birds for years at that point but he was the first one that I ever took in. He was my world. He is my world. Sometime last night he passed peacefully in his sleep. I found him beneath his sleeping perch this morning.

Today was his birthday. He would have been 5.

I don't know why we lost him so soon. I would give anything to know. Ultimately he didn't suffer and that's really all I can ask for.

I don't even have the words really. All of this is because of him. All of it. I would never have started rescuing on my own without him. He changed my entire life. He got me through some of the toughest shit I have ever endured.

There has never been and will never be another bird like him. I never thought we would be separated this soon. 15, 20, 25 years would have never fucking been enough but certainly not 5.

My boy is gone. I don't know how to keep going without him. The aviary is so so quiet. Shrimp sings their partner song but the other half is missing. Onyx has his laugh but its inflection is different. Condor copies his whistles but never quite perfected the notes.

I will never hear him yell "Good morning!!!" when he's excited about breakfast again. He'll never swear just to make me laugh and then laugh along with me again. We will never play catch with bugs again. He will never tell me he loves me again. He will never sunbathe on my shoulder again or stick bugs in my hair or poke holes in my shirts again. I wish I hadn't thrown out those fucking shirts. I would give anything to be embarrassed walking into work because he left a sneak poop on my shoulder one more time. I can't understand why the universe has to be so cruel.

I didn't even get to say goodbye to him when he could still hear it.

Rest easy, my beloved boy. You were the best friend I could have ever asked for. Everyone always says you were so lucky I happened to be there the day you fell. But I was the one who was so fucking lucky. I was so lucky to know you. Thank you for everything. I swear I will never forget you.

[rainyflock]

Prince charming 🥰

[rainyflock]

Shrimp checking out the box Prince was inspecting. These two have been mates for three years now, and while they always end up picking the same box for their nest, he has to make sure he is selecting nothing but the best for Shrimpy.

If you turn the volume up you can hear him go "Hiiii, whatcha doin?" when she lands on the box lol.

[rainyflock]

It's fucking dinner time, baby!

[rainyflock]

my dear friends have come a long way with acclimating to me! most of the birds in these gifs are wild adult birds who became non-releasable due to life altering injuries. some were even harmed directly by humans, so they really have no reason to think positively of me at all. on top of that, i provided medical care for all of these birds, which definitely starts us off on the wrong foot! i am incredibly honored that despite all of this, i am slowly but surely starting to gain their trust ❤️ every last one of my birds will now eat in front of me, sing in front of me (!!!!), and is unbothered by the sound of my voice or my movements. INCREDIBLY exciting :]

[rainyflock]

tfw breeding season just ended but prince's beak is already turning yellow again in preparation for spring =_= the torment of starling ownership never ends.......