Outdoor recall

[Wolf]

Good video, I love watching your birds fly.

[Erithacus]

I can't make the green cheeks to fly like Kilaya. I wonder how the free fliers do it.

[Wolf]

I am not sure what you mean by flying like Kilaya. They seem to be doing great. If you mean what I am thinking it may be just a matter of their gaining confidence and experience. It could also simply be that they need to watch Kilaya flying some more to know what it is that you want of them. Parrots are really good at learning by watching and I have always used my older more experience animals to help me teach my younger and less experienced ones. Just a thought.

[Erithacus]

Maybe I could try that. Thanks for the idea.

[Erithacus]

[Erithacus]

Finally, this morning I free fly Zico for the 1st time. I was a bit nervous, didn't record enough videos to show you guys.

[Wolf]

I know that you have been building towards free flying for a long time and I am aware that you know the risks involved, probably far better than I do, so I am not going to say anything about them, other than to say that you are braver than I am in regards to this.

It looks like you have made a lot of progress in this with your GCCs. Are you free flying all of them part of the time or just certain ones? I know that you attend some of the free flying events in your area, are you taking your new birds to these events with you now? I figure that you probably are, even if only to get them used to the environment at these event, still I thought that I would ask. Please keep me updated on their progress.

[Erithacus]

I have 2 potentials in Eclipse and Zico. Somehow Eclipse wasn't responding well midway through the training. I moved the training ground to the playground. After a month of getting them familiarized the surrounding and also they had built up their confidence level during the 1 month at the playground, they became less afraid of those wild birds flying around. I felt that Zico is the better of the two. I gathered a few friends on Sunday. With their presence, they gave me courage to free fly Zico. I did the usual training with Zico minus the harness. Eclipse joined in the training (in harness). I spent maybe about 15 minutes of free flying. I would be lying if I say I wasn't worried at all. I don't think my bird is ready to join my other friends in free flying events.

Before that I tried outdoor recall without harness outside my house. I placed them (one at a time) on the gate. I walked back into the house and when I called or blew the whistle, they flew in.

[Wolf]

You have put a lot of effort into preparing them for the free flying, I know, but I must still admit that you are more courageous than I am in regards to this aspect of living with parrots. I may not free fly any of mine but I do enjoy watching the videos of you flying your birds in harness or free flight. Thank you for sharing them.

[Erithacus]

Joining my free flight friends gave me the motivation to free fly my parrots. Here is another video taken this morning. This is my 2nd free flight session and Eclipse joined in for the 1st time.