Flew away.

[GreenWing]

Thanks for the kind comments. I had a rough night. We went to look for her again this morning. Told a worker we came across she was missing.

Didn't find her of course. We're printing off fliers and posting them around today. I think our best bet at this point is if she flew in someone's yard and they have her.

I miss her so much and it's hard looking at her empty cage.

[JaydeParrot]

I feel so bad for you, don't give up hope, try putting her cage outside in a seeable place (hopefully if she's still anywhere near she's go back to it), the worst thing you can do is give up, just keep trying!

Depending on where you live, there may be some kind of parrot society or rescues, call in there so that you'll be the first to know if a senegal is found and brought in.

[Pajarita]

Oh, no! I am soooo very sorry! Go out very early in the am, when the sun hasn't even come up yet but there is a bit of light in the sky. Lost parrots usually freeze the first day but are more willing to come to you the next one. Don't lose hope and keep on trying, we are all keeping our fingers and toes crossed!

[GreenWing]

Thanks, JaydeParrot and Pajarita.

We got up very early and things were more visible and searched again. The thing is, I don't know where to put her cage exactly because I don't know where she is or if she's even in the area. Tiki is fully flighted and all I saw is her flying across my backyard, past two other houses and busy Stark Street, and I watched her fly between two trees and into the berry fields. I don't know if she landed.

The berry fields are miles across. And we've looked everywhere... yelling, calling for her. I checked the trees, searched where I last saw her fly, and way beyond past the fields into the other fields. I'm making her "call" and yelling "treat" and her name. I thought I may have heard her this morning but I can't be sure as so many other birds are making similar calls. Tiki has a distinct scream and I haven't heard it at all. I've seen so many American Goldfinches and other birds but no yellow and orange-bellied Senegal. I don't know where she landed, or if she even landed in the fields and kept on flying. So, I feel like I'm screwed.

I'm going to keep looking but I just don't know where to look. Meanwhile I've posted on 911parrotalert and other sites.

[GreenWing]

We've talked to the berry farm workers and they said they'd look for her and spread the word to the other farm employees. They go through the entire farm site so they're a strong help. We've meanwhile posted fliers everywhere within the area and called local vet clinics, churches, and talked to a lot of people. I have hope...

We're also offering a reward. Hopefully we'll get something, anything that will help. I'll keep you all posted. Meanwhile we're still looking for her and calling for her.

[janetafloat]

That all sounds good. I don't know, I'm just guessing, but I can't imagine that she would go far and with all those people keeping an eye out for her there has to be a reasonable chance that someone will see her.

[Michael]

I don't know how tall raspberry fields are but my guess is they are like bushes and not more than 6ft high? Consider getting a 6ft freestanding ladder and setting it up somewhere in the middle. Stand on top of it calling the bird and waving some favorite treats around (perhaps bag of pretzels or something visible). If doing that for a while doesn't help... strap a cage or something like that on there. By getting it high, if the bird takes flight and goes above the canopy line, it may see it and go to there. Likewise a perch set up there could be good. But this thing needs to be somewhat monitored cause if you leave it and the bird comes there, it could be sitting hawk bait. Just another idea.

[GreenWing]

That all sounds good. I don't know, I'm just guessing, but I can't imagine that she would go far and with all those people keeping an eye out for her there has to be a reasonable chance that someone will see her.

That's a good thought and I've wondered the same. I hope some kind of clue or sighting turns up. I am still in disbelief that this even happened. I keep pinching myself to wake up from this nightmare. I hope she's eating some of those berries or landed in a nearby yard and is alive and well. There aren't too many hawks in the area but there are two vultures that circle the area daily. Turkey Vultures don't hunt, though. I just can't imagine her suffering... that thought alone makes me feel like dying.

I don't know how tall raspberry fields are but my guess is they are like bushes and not more than 6ft high? Consider getting a 6ft freestanding ladder and setting it up somewhere in the middle. Stand on top of it calling the bird and waving some favorite treats around (perhaps bag of pretzels or something visible). If doing that for a while doesn't help... strap a cage or something like that on there. By getting it high, if the bird takes flight and goes above the canopy line, it may see it and go to there. Likewise a perch set up there could be good. But this thing needs to be somewhat monitored cause if you leave it and the bird comes there, it could be sitting hawk bait. Just another idea.

That's not a bad idea at all, thank you. I'm headed back out in a bit and I'll see if I can get a ladder and try this. The berries are indeed about 6' in height and they're not thorny. You'd be able to see the orange/yellow belly of a Senegal despite all the greenery. I hope those workers see something.They walk though each row and section of the field. They have my number, let's hope something turns up.

[Michael]

I was talking to Mona and she didn't have a chance to post a response but said, "Most likely, a handfed bird will fly to a person after about three days. The third day is when they get thirsty. Water can also make a great lure. They get thirsty before they get hungry"

So the first 24 hours may not have been a water time but getting into 48-72 hour territory water may be a bigger deal (deepening on location, sometimes they can just get by licking dew off plants). So if you have a cage set up or walking around with a lure, a water dish may be something to add to the mix to catch the bird's attention. Monitor any water holes, streams, fountains, etc.

[GreenWing]

I was talking to Mona and she didn't have a chance to post a response but said, "Most likely, a handfed bird will fly to a person after about three days. The third day is when they get thirsty. Water can also make a great lure. They get thirsty before they get hungry"

So the first 24 hours may not have been a water time but getting into 48-72 hour territory water may be a bigger deal (deepening on location, sometimes they can just get by licking dew off plants). So if you have a cage set up or walking around with a lure, a water dish may be something to add to the mix to catch the bird's attention. Monitor any water holes, streams, fountains, etc.

Thanks so much for this, Michael. I thought about contacting Mona - thank you for mentioning this to her and thank you to Mona for her help.

At dusk I went back out after being out there all day, but this time I traveled all the way to the very end of the area, which extended into blueberry and marionberry fields. There's a forested area and a creek at the end of the field and all this time I called for her every few moments. I saw and heard many birds but not her. I ran into several people who said they'll be on the lookout for her. One person said she thought she saw Tiki at her bird feeder but only could describe seeing a bird with a yellow chest?

We bought a ladder, recorded me calling her, and right now blasting the calls on a stereo in the field. It's about 10:00 PM PST. Tomorrow at dawn I'm headed out again. I will check the streams and set out a waterdish in the raspberry field. I hope something turns up. I heard some kids calling for her as they walked down the street - they must have seen the fliers. That warmed my heart as others in the area really care and are looking out for her, too. I really hope she does land on someone and that something turns up. I miss her terribly and am very worried.

UPDATE: I went into the house to rest for a bit and before I left the house to head back out, I heard what sounded like her call. I thought it could have been my imagination so I started to head back to the berry fields. Before I crossed Stark Street, the people who live behind us ran towards us and said they heard an unusual bird call... saying it sounded like a squeak... "a little more than a bird call." They said they were sitting right outside and heard it. I now think it could very well be her since I heard something, too.

We set her cage outside with light shining on it, with water in the cage. I've called to her but have heard nothing. I really hope it's her...