Crash returns! Better, Faster Stronger.

Last Tuesday (Super Tuesday) Katie brought a sick bird to the Native Animal Rescue Center here in Santa Cruz. This center is by far the best I have seen. Run completely from donation boxes, they are a full service hospital for native birds. They do not take sea birds.

On Super Tuesday I was super sick with the flu. Crash, a small Brewers Blackbird was taking refuge on our porch. He was blind, but could fly. I thought he may have crashed, thus his name, Crash Helmet Lou.

As the post below describes, Katie my girlfriend carefully packed up Crash and took him to the rescuer center. He was already eating ad drinking when she dropped him off. So we had high hopes for his survival. Video in the post below this one shows his health status compared to the pictures here. There is a vast difference thanks to the folks at Native Animal Rescue.

Today I looked out on the porch and who did I see but Crash! I could tell it was him by his face, and his mannerisms despite the fact the 50 of these birds come each morning. He likes to sit right in the middle of the bowl. He was back and looking much better. Still a bit slower than the other birds, but his color had returned, his eyes open and no longer sunken. He could see. His Color was back. He was able to battle for his rightful turn at the feeder.

Although we were 99.9% sure it was Crash, we called just to make sure. We were right. Crash had been released 24 hours prior.

It ends up we named him aptly. He had hit his head, likely hitting a window in a mid flight crash.
He was given steroids to stop the swelling in his brain and released when he could see and fly just a few days later.

Crash found his way back, after a severe head injury, from 3 miles away. Having had encephalitis myself, which is swelling of the brain. I can tell you that it took me three years to read again or remember much, let alone navigate my way home from the hospital.

Here are some photos. Some are a bit fuzzy as I had to shot from inside through the screen and glass. But you can see, Crash is much better. He seems to like hanging out on the porch all day now, and is unafraid of us. These birds are normally easily spooked, although there is always one or two in a bunch that will be less scared of humans. I think Crash will be using the deck for a long time. A new companion bird. Native birds are important. Find the number to your local animal rescue centers now, so you have the number when you need it.

A Scrub Jay also ventured into the yard today. H returned a few times and brought his mate. Blue was very excited. I hope they continue to come back.

The rescue of Crash Helmet Lou

Above is Blue flying to land on my head, at 6:30am, before I had a sip of Coffee. He is a chipper bird in the morning as soon as he wakes.

Katie and I have both had the flu and its been a rough week. Blue is always there to cheer us up though, particularly when I am ill. H seems to notice and becomes more playful and attentive to me instead of demanding he be the center of the universe. I gladdy let him have the role of being the center of everything in the house in the Winter, when he can fly, but remains inside.

The Movie is still a go and we are starting some filming next week!

The other day a young sickly Black Bird took refuge on our porch where they feed and bath. The first day he seemed just a little slow, and very friendly. By the second day I knew he was sick. He was unafraid and took water and food by hand with ease. But I can't bring a sick bird into the house. They can infect the other birds.

Katie was the real hero as I was unable to drive, being at the height of my flu. She boxed up the bird and took it to a very busy, unadvertised rescue center that is nothing less than amazing. Run by donations only, it looks like a house from the outside. Once inside you see it is a full blown sterile hospital for native non sea bird rescues. They were glad to take Crash and if he regains his sight will be released here.

We named him Crash Helmet Lou, as he is blind but can fly, although not well. He is eating and drinking and will recover thanks to Kate having the will to go despite her also having the Flu.

Below is a short movie of Crash, Blue, and a glimpse into our super Tuesday. Yes I did vote, not saying for who. Thanks to the volunteers, voting was easy, quick and close by.

Blue has started some new things. When he sings to himself or for me, he sometimes lets me join in with him. I bob my head up and down with him while we both whistle songs to each other. I think he knows I am not as good as him, but he puts up with my lack of bird songs anyway.

Much more to come as I have lots of new equipment as I ready for the Spring. New improved diets and rescue suggestions will be updated soon. Better photos and video as I have new cameras.

For those that are not aware, this site turns into a rescue information center for Scrub Jays in distress in California during the spring. I try and explain to people that you can't keep a young Scrub and feed it every 30 min as the need as baby's without it bonding to you, and after that it can never be released. It is a 12-20 year commitment to keep such a bird and they need lots of attention, love and care daily. So we have found and discovered new ways to get these birds back to their parents quickly or released if not injured badly. One thing we learned is there are exceptions to all the rules.

The Florida Scrub Jay is endangered and it's a crime to keep one. If you find one in Florida and its in need of a rescue you must call animal rescue. It is also their state bird, although a sub species to the Western Scrub, they are in essence the same bird. We simply have the trees and forests to keep a healthy population. If a rescue center like the one I described existed when I found Blue, I would have given him up so he could be released. At that time no such agency existed. The ones that did told me to let him die. He was only a day or two old.

Food for thought -- A Scrub Jay can remember where he hid a nut a full year ago, and they hide on average 89,000 nuts a year. I can't remember where my keys are. They are also a great contributer to reforestation.

Here is the latest. Watch this in full screen, it's in DVD quality.

Blues Afternoon, song, dance, food , stretches, yawns and bedtime

This is a video showing Blue's afternoon near the end of the day. After his morning with Katie, he spends 2 hours hiding nuts and checking his cache of stolen coins, keys, and nuts. He hides everything twice, always in full view of Katie and I. So who he hides them from -- I don't think either of us know. Perhaps it's still just instinct. Blue also rearranges his cache. He pounds his nuts into his tray and arranges everything to his liking. His many hiding spots include on top of the fridge, which is sort of a drag, but he is a free bird. So we clean it daily as we do his cage and fan and his other favorite places. Blue also hides nuts and arranges his goods in his cage too.

Blue does a song and dance when he is feeling affectionate. Often when I bring him a treat he will first do the song and dance without my hand signals. In this video I use my fingers to trigger the dance as well as the treat in my hand. He isn't begging, he is showing affection. He does this when there is no reward, often when I am sick or down, he will land on me and start singing and dancing. He does this only for me. Katie has a very strong bond with Blue, but because I fed him since a baby, I get some extra attention.

After that he takes a nap, he eats and heads to bed. He often puffs up and sits on one foot. S he does stretches and yawns. Sometimes he sleeps out of his cage and if he is really tired I can pick him up softly and carry him and he never wakes up.

Enjoy this -

Scrub Jays and time plus a new video!

Although Blue, a California Scrub Jay is a very much domesticated he is also a free bird, in the sense that he has his own life, flies free most of the day and has his own territory and possessions, although most are stolen from me. :)

(FYI: The New Video is at the bottom of this post.)

He is dependent on me for both friendship love and care. He takes interest in anything I use, the remote, the telephone, a book, and my laptop where he sits on the top and watches me type. The other day he sang to the young bird doing the Sun trance at the post below as he watched the video. He also loves music and will land on me the minute I play my guitar. I think he enjoys the vibrations he feels through the neck where he sits.

The picture above is not Blue, but a Scrub from a lab where they are studying Scrub Jays and their unique ability to perceive time in a way traditional animals were thought unable. Some interesting articles on this and precognition in Scrubs are surfacing. This one on the perception of time can be found here. http://www.psychol.cam.ac.uk/ccl/Scrub_jays.html

"Scientists say scrub jays are not stuck in the present.

Mental time-travel, the ability to use memories of past experiences and plan for the future, has traditionally been considered a quality unique to humans. Now scientists at the University of Cambridge have identified the same ability in a bird - the Western scrub jay, [a US native]."

Although Florida Scrub Jays are considered a sub species, they act the same and look the same. Here is an interesting audio link to some talk about the memories of Scrub Jays being better then our own, and this has been tested. To download and listen to this 2 minute audio file, Click Here.
You can also visit the site at
http://www.earthsky.org/teachers/article/scrub-jay

Blue in the morning wakes up and spends two hours with Katie as she goes through her morning routine. He helps with the feeding of the other birds and sits on her shoulder as she does her morning stuff. They play phone and basket ball until she leaves for work. I let Blue sort of do his own thing for a bit. This is a normal hour of his antics during that alone time condensed. I am in the room but he just does his thing. Latter he will mellow, sit with me, follow me from room to room , sing and dance for me and let me know if he needs anything. When I first arise in the morning, he gets very happy and emits a small peep, which he only does when he is happy to see me and only for me.

Blue needs and gets 5-6 hours of solid attention each day. That is why I try to explain to folks who find these birds in distress what kind of commitment they are getting into should they try and keep the bird. The bond so fast, they cannot be released after just a few days of seeing you as their feeder. Rescue centers who have the time and ability to release these birds, have to keep the young ones in a box. Wearing gloves and a mask, they will feed the birds quickly and shut the door. These are not Scrubs but it works the same. They not only bond, but get their vocal sounds from you and your sent. So when sent free, one they will return if they survive, and two they sound and small wrong and will not be accepted by the Scrub Jay community.
See very short video.

Small Scrubs eat every half an hour and get their water from their food. This was not an option for me. Blue is nearly ten. He has adjusted very well and I have tried my best to give him a happy and healthy life. When I found Blue I had to carry him with me everywhere I went to feed him every 30 minutes for 3 months. He was the same age as the birds in the video being fed. Luckily they sleep throughout the night without the need of food and water.
Enjoy the Video! Send in your own stories of your birds, pictures and videos. I am interested in people who have had their lives altered in a good way due to the relationships they have formed with birds. Those that befriend wild birds, which happens allot can have profound experiences. In the post below at the end, is a short video of a young scrub doing the Sun trance. This is the first video that I know of , showing a wild scrub doing this. The reason, they only do it if they feel VERY safe. If you have the patience you can get to have a very rewarding relationship with a wild Scrub. Peanuts are pivotal to this relationship. Please get raw peanuts, from a pet store. I have several Scrubs that visit, and one will land on me and let me hand him nuts. Blues mother and father were my friends before they lost their nest to the attack of the Crows. They went on to have 3 birds the next year choosing a better tree.

Blue talks to be in small krk krk. If I am in another room and he does not know where I am he will squawk, but when I answer, he replies back with a few krk krk krk's to say, "'I'm ok your ok."

Since I am disabled I am home a great deal. Having a best friend here all the time is the best medicine I have ever received.

Is Blue going to Hollywood?

Is Blue going to Hollywood?

The unbelievable has happened. Blue is going to Hollywood! Ok, ok, well not exactly but stick with me. This is exciting! Blue is going to be in a documentary.

I have met a lot of people through this site documenting Blue and sometimes my own life. above is Blue playing today. If you start at the beginning of my posts, you will find that in truth, Blue saved me. When I found Blue I was at the lowest point in my life, and was not that interested in continuing. I was trying to recover from severe brain trauma caused from encephalitis and chronic pain from a severe back injury requiring surgery and two titanium implants. I lost everything, my business, my house, my wife, my car, and everything that did not fit in a suitcase. When i found Blue after Crows had killed all of his siblings, he was fresh out of the egg. The most and fragile creature I have every seen.

I tried to save Blue so he could be released but because these birds are numerous here, although that is not true all over the U.S. -- no agency would take him.

I had only hours to figure out how to care for him. Young birds eat every half an hour.

It was a birder in Florida where the Scrub Jays are endangered that told me exactly what to do. Because of his help, I learned I had a big job on my hands and also how to care for my young friend. I had a 12-20 year commitment. I was determined to keep Blue alive and thus myself. I remember telling myself if I could keep this sick tiny bird alive, I could keep myself alive.

I recovered, at least I am MUCH better. I am very lucky and very grateful.

Blue has become very much my closest friend. He still learns at age 10. He is protective even of the other small birds we have. He is devoted like a dog , he continues to learn unlike an older dog. He is feisty, serene, playful, a show off, an acrobat, very much needs attention. He likes to be involved in everything I do and finds great interest in everything around him. Blue has his own possessions and he knows it. Above is Sophia and Blue loves and protect Sophia and the other birds here.

But the news I want to tell you is

. There is going to be a documentary of Blue and our relationship! Were still in the very beginning stages but it I have been told I can announce it will happen.

Beth Cataldo found me and Blue on this site. She sent me her first film which was very impressive, and asked me if I was interested in her doing a film on Blue and a chronicling of our relationship. The Movie came and was very good, enough to make me really really nervous. I am very appreciative that Beth wants to do this. Check out her first Movie! Its very good. Watch the trailer!

Ray Bandar: A Life with Skulls

Ray Bandar: A Life with Skulls

Buy the DVD It is worth it!


He’s been called Dr. Bones and Reptile Ray. Usually dressed in tattered “field-trip” clothes, Ray Bandar has been a fixture at the California Academy of Sciences and the beaches around the Bay Area for more than 50 years. “A Life with Skulls” captures Ray’s obsession for collecting skulls from local beaches, road kill, zoo animals and on field trips to Mexico, Australia and in the United States. This humorous movie investigates Bandar’s history as a skull collector, showing many of the thousands of skulls he has accumulated over the years, talking to Alkmene, his resilient wife, and touring the awe-inspiring Bone Palace.

"A Life with Skulls" is an inspiring look at a man who has a special tie to the natural world. You will be motivated to go out and explore it for yourself.

DVD include extras, including:

• Ray collecting a Harbor Porpoise skull
  
• Tour of the Bone Palace
  
• Photo gallery of historic images of Ray’s house full of skulls
  
• Stories about the skulls in the exhibit
  
• Ray's first-person adventure stories
  
• Cost: $15 plus postage. Email Beth@hummingbirdmultimedia.com

I watched the movie and it was very good. Ray is a devoted unique man whose work is pivotal to the understanding and the the evolution of Sea Mammals. How they died, how they evolve, how climate change effects them, it is all in the skull.

Beth is interested in relationships between animals and people, so I think she has come to the right apartment. She is coming to meet Blue and I on Monday. I look forward to the slow march forward. Blue seems interested too as he is up late and standing on my... skull.

This site and the people who shared their stories during the spring and summer helped save, release, and rescue many birds. A small few kept their bids when there was no alternative. I have many pictures but those of you still around, send in more. I am not sure how much of the movie if any will be about the site, but because we really did save many birds, I am sure it will have its place.

So a few photos could never hurt. I have some new ones I need to post. I will and thanks to everyone for sending them. I can always use more photos, video, and updates on how your bird is doing, or even better how you released it successfully.

These birds get attached, they bond in just a few days. In order to feed and release it, it can't see you, smell you, or it will not leave. You open the door feed it with gloves and shut it.

Thats how release centers do it. There is a small video clip of that here.

Most rescues are just stunned and quickly recover. One thing we learned, with these birds almost anything is possible. I know people who have a sort of shared custody where the bird leaves in the day and comes back in the afternoon, but it is free. Another couple built a protective housing around the fallen bird. The parents came and fed it. When it was healthy enough to fly, they released it to its happy parents. That was creative. I have been your student.

Blue is doing great and flying like he is a youngster. A new video camera coming soon will provide better video of Blue and some of the many new things he has learned will be posted! He has recovered from being bind in one eye. Considering his age and that

having cataract is the only time he needed a vet, Blue is one healthy bird, but more important he is truly happy which is the promise I made him.

Update: I received the following e-mail, video and, great photos I wanted to share from Lorcan who has been active on this site for a long time and has been touched by is birds in much the same way.

"I finally witnessed one of the jays doing the sun trance while lying on the bookshelf by my window today. I was amazed to watch it. Cheeky lay down three times to do it. What a treat it was. I took this video and posted it on YouTube taking the liberty to use your description of it. I also got these wonderful shots of a Red-shouldered Hawk late this evening outside Strybing Botanical Gardens.

I just read your news about the documentary to be produced about you and Blue. I myself feel that Cheeky & Shy gave me strength to get through some tough times too so I can really relate and I hope all goes great with the film. I would love to see it when it is ready."

A morning at the beach

The telephone