Birdy breakthrough

Do you remember Kevin, our humans' new cockatiel? He's a very good sort, though he came to Bent Barrow Farm with bleeding wounds from having had all of his flight feathers broken off below the skin. Nasty business! Two vet visits and some weeks later, he's just about healed. He also came with a terrible phobia of hands, so that he was willing to step up onto a forearm but not at all interested in being touched with anyone's fingers.

This week, Kevin discovered the pleasure of having his head rubbed. He is a whole new bird: a needy, greedy, rub-my-head-right-now-or-I'll-never-stop-begging bird! He spends many of his days on FarmWife's shoulder, rubbing his baby soft forehead against her cheek and dreaming of the moment when she'll raise her formerly-frightening hand and give his crest a little scritch-scritch-scritch.

It's good to be trusted, FarmWife thinks, and I'm sure Kevin's life is better now that he lets his people take good care of him from head to toe. I know the importance of a good ear rub for health and happiness, and I'm glad that even Kevin—poor little Kevin, whose ears are only holes hidden beneath soft feathers—can know this singular joy.

Ears to you,
FenBar