Today I arrived home to what I was fearing all weekend, the last of my birds had died, he was about 7 years old which is a long time to have lived considering some people say 4 years is the lifespan of a bengalese finch.
Sing Sing was his name and was named so because he never stopped singing, Shan Jr thankfully is too young to know what has happened although I know she is very confused as to where the biibby has gone. I have kept finches for 9 or 10 years now but have decided to clean the cage down and put it up in the attic for the time been, but what an eventful time I have had with these birds. I have had 6 adult birds in total Tren and Zio, Mal (pictured above) and Awi, and Sing Sing and his brother who never really made adulthood due to having a really bad illness from birth. Mal and Awi by far meant the most to me, Awi was a beautiful bird, she was very friendly and the day she died really really broke my heart. They were also the only birds I have ever had who wanted to breed, and about 5 years ago I let them. 4 chicks emerged from the nest and were whipped up by people who fell in love with them through their childhood.
So why am I telling you all this, well I have to say the cage is sitting on the ground behind me and I am finding it really hard to put up in the attic, if I had my way I would have another 2 or 4 finches in there tomorrow, But for now the memories of all 6 birds and the 4 babies will have to remain with me, but I will miss sing sing saying goodnight to me in his funny little song when I switch the lights off.
So sorry to hear John. Glad to hear you remember all of their names, and I really love the reason for naming a caged bird sing sing. Lovely name.
ReplyDeleteWill miss the cage in its corner and the noice (song) from it.
Aw sorry Shan.
ReplyDeleteAh, Shan. Sorry to hear it. You sound like a good bird owner :)
ReplyDeleteI had a friend long ago who had birds too.
When I was in (on?) Madeira, we went to a park with an aviary, and there were lovebirds there, green and red ones. One was sitting by himself, and looking out at the people - when I whistled to him he whistled back - enough of a conversation to make the tourist near me go 'Oh my god, are you seeing this?' to his friend.
I wanted lovebirds for ages after that! Like finches, they're so cute and perfect, they look almost animated.
That's a sad yet lovely post Shan. There are birds next door to me but I don't really know a tap about birds, at the end of the day.
ReplyDeleteAh sweetie, sending you a big hug....those birds were lucky to be cared for so well! It's beautiful that they brought you such joy!
ReplyDeleteI am adapting to the snake, we are really getting on, I get him out for a bit of a cuddle when the kids go to bed!
sorry to hear that love. U still have fish although they make no sound !!
ReplyDeleteWow, fish too? What's next Shan? Antelope? How come you never mentioned your menagerie before?
ReplyDeleteYep i have a bit of a zoo here, well now without the birds, but yes the 4 foot long aquarium is still running and fish are doing well, and the pond outside will probably have a few extra goldfish babies again this year, its a pity about the birds though since Shan Jr really loves birds, she has not really noticed the bare corner in the dining room but we have attempted to avoid her seeing it for now.
ReplyDeleteThanks one and all for your comments, some people probably think I am over reacting about the birds, but I always consider any animal I have a member of my family, and the birds strangely were like my children.
Why not? Anything you love and care for and interact with should become special to you and you should mark its loss.
ReplyDeleteI think it takes a deep lack of imagination to fail to understand that.
Don't be too scared to have to face the subject of death with your daughter though. It's easier than you think. Little kids seem to find death quite interesting. My daughter is a bit obsessed though - word of advice: don't take little Shan to see the bog bodies!
Also thinking of you Shan, not everyone understands the loss of little ones like this close to you.
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