the happiest bird in the world

we've never named our zebra finches, of which we've had 6 or 8. never named them until this guy.

his name is the happiest bird in the world and i will tell you why.

thbitw figured out how to escape from his cage when he was just a youngster. his two cagemates (finches are happiest living in threesomes) have watched him slip through a space in the cage door their whole lives but have never been tempted themselves. in fact, if ever a bird other than thbitw mistakenly gets out, the whole domestic flock chirps, honks, flaps wings and jumps up and down in their efforts to get my attention. "mom, mom, help, help, rescue, rescue!!" 

(it's strange, but they react this same way whenever anyone in the house sneezes. what's up with that?)

thbitw helps himself to freedom all through each day. he visits the neighboring cage (he's able to slip in and out of that one too) has a chirp with them, helps himself to their seed then returns home on a whim. he flies around the house whenever and wherever he pleases, eventually heading back home.

what has us all amazed is his newest adventure.......

each summer, i take the cages outside and put them on the picnic table to give the birds a change of pace, environment and a breath of fresh air. i put them out in the morning and bring them back in the late afternoon. this year, thbitw has felt confident enough to expand his daring, bold and fearless escapades to the out of doors as well!

through the day, he flies in out and of the cage exploring our backyard air spaces, flirting with "those wild birds" and perching wherever it suits him. he returns home when he feels tired, hungry or thristy knowing he and his cagemates will be safely tucked into the house and covered with a sheet for a good night's sleep. 

this, my friends, is how he got his name.

thbitw has been going on these outdoor tours the entire summer. one evening around dusk, i came home surprised to find him waiting inside on the windowsill with his cage and cagemates still outside. apparently, it was past normal "bring the cages back inside time" and feeling tired of the outdoors and unwilling to wait around, he helped himself back inside through a slightly opened sliding door. 

 he gave us a real fright one evening. paul and i were inside watching a movie and hadn't noticed night had fallen. realizing the cages were still outside, i jumped up to bring them in. thbitw was not in/on his cage. i panicked, looking, looking, searching, searching trees, limbs, railings, roofs, anywhere a bird might perch. i even called out his name (like i said, panic!) paul came out to help too. thbitw was nowhere. we brought the other birds inside but kept looking out for him. finally, we went to bed.....a fitful, fretful night. at dawn, fully aware again of the situation, i ran downstairs and took a birdcage outside, hoping his cagemates would entice him home again. by the time i got back upstairs and looked out over the balcony, thbitw was perched atop his cage chirping, 

back from his overnight camping adventure and looking like.... 

the happiest bird in the world.