I don’t often post personal stuff, but today I’m just feeling like it. Perhaps it was because Missoula hit a sunny 70 degrees and upped my Vitamin D? Perhaps I can’t get over how stinking cute my little bird is? (Yes, yes, I know – I’m biased.) Perhaps I want to reveal “the man behind the curtain,” as it were, and give you an idea of who I am? Who knows. But here it is.
Some of you may know that I adore birds. Love them. Think they’re incredible. This stems from the fact that I grew up with canaries, and with grandparents who loved birding, and taught my brother and I a lot about this favorite pastime of theirs. I also know that some people think birds are scary and crazy and weird. And yes, there are some that are scary and crazy and weird, but it’s because they have not been treated properly by their owners. Birds need lots of attention and love, and when given this, they are just wonderful little creatures with huge hearts, even bigger personalities, and tiny companions that make life just a little more fun to live.
So, with no further ado, I introduce: Flash the Parrotlet. He is tiny, but he’s quite the little clown. Parrotlets can mimic, so he’s picked up a few of my phrases, including how I answer the phone: “Hello, this is Kristine.” Yep, he actually says that. But he sounds a bit Sean Connery-esque, so his phrasing is a bit more like this: “Hello, thish ish Krishtine.”
I’ve also got a delightful little canary named Mozart, but he’s not allowed outside since he can fly. Flash has his wings clipped, so he can only fly short distances. Also, for those of you out there who have birds and want to take them outside – PLEASE be extremely careful if you do this. Double check that your birds’ wings are clipped. Double check that where you take them outside is safe and free from danger…i.e. other animals, toxic things they could eat, overexposure to sun, etc., etc. Birds are fragile little things so only do this if you are an experienced bird owner, have taken the necessary precautions, and don’t take your eye off of them for one second. Ok, off my soapbox.
Photo time! I should also explain that Flash was being my model as I messed around with some lighting techniques. He’s a good little assistant.
I laughed so hard when I saw what had happened with the image on the right – Flash had moved a bit too close to the light source and ended up with a very alien-like look. Hilarious.
If you enjoyed Flash and would like to see more of his antics (and pics of Mozart, too), you can follow me on Instagram – my username is kristinep_photo. Flash and Mozart have got quite the fan club – all the way from Mexico to Finland!
On the docket: engagement and portrait sessions!
Cheers,
-Kristine
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I found your page via pinterest. Your bird (AND photography!) are absolutely gorgeous.
I have been trying to figure out if a parrotlet would be a good fit for my husband and I. I am looking for a companion bird since my husband works a lot. My only concern is I know we will want to have children in the next 2-3 years and I’m not the type of person to just give away my pet. Obviously, we would have to take precautions to ensure the bird’s safety.
What do you suggest? I appreciate any advice or thoughts on the subject.
Hi Autumn! Thanks so much for your very sweet, kind words! I really appreciate it! :)
As far as parrotlets go, they’re probably not the best bird for kids, but if you really want a parrotlet and are willing to supervise your bird with your children (at ALL times) then you’d probably be ok. Parrotlets do enjoy running around on the ground, and love to hide, so that’s something to also watch out for when allowing them time outside of their cage. Many parrotlets meet an early demise because they have been stepped, squashed or sat upon because they are so precocious.
Parrotlets can sometimes be a bit territorial and can definitely nip, even when hand-raised, but for the most part they are a sweet, comical, amazing little bird with a huge personality.
I love my little Flash with all my heart and can’t imagine life without him. He’s got his mood swings, but mostly he’s a little sweetheart. Hope that helps! If you’ve got more questions, a great resource I used when deciding on whether or not I wanted to get a parrotlet was to join the group “Parrotlets Plus” on Yahoo, and ask lots and lots of questions and read comment threads. There are a TON of knowledgeable folks on that forum. :)