PRESIDENT’S LETTER

February 2006

Dear People (that includes birds, elephants and humans, in that order),

Aristophanes has just had his shower, I enclose a picture of him on his shower perch for Little Matthew to publish in this issue. He had to wait until Elijah, my younger grandson, went home because Aristophanes isn’t always the nicest tempered bird in the world with other people and since Elijah is only 3½, Aristophanes stays in the cage while Elijah is out of the cage. Anyway, Aristophanes ran to the bathroom the moment I opened his door. He went over to the tub, where his shower perch is fastened to the wall, picked up his leg and said, "Step up." I love when he does that. The cockatiels are flying around and Emma is waiting his turn to come out and hang out because he and Aristophanes are not a great combination together.

My black Minorca rooster, Robert, got hurt the other day when my old rooster, Charlemagne, the big boss, attacked him. I have Robert separated and in a "hospital cage." I hope he recovers. I love those chickens so much. Usually, the roosters are pretty benign this time of year, but something must have happened and Charlemagne hurt Robert pretty badly. If anyone wants some adult chickens to keep as pets (naturally they are not for you ...HUNGRY MATTHEW) let me know, as I know of some for adoption.

Our much awaited program for February, Chad Seewagen, the grad student in ornithology, coming through the Bronx Zoo, had to reschedule. He was sent to Papua New Guinea to study birds for the month. Now, as I said to Lee, our postcard chairperson, "Why anyone would choose to visit New Guinea instead of Monticello is beyond my comprehension." Chad said that he will contact me as soon as he returns and he will come up and present his program to us. In his place, I figured that this month, my birthday month, would be a good time for us to see, "The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill." It is supposed to be a really good film and I am sure we can enjoy it together. (As well as celebrate my birthday which just happens to be on February 13^th and has been on that day since 1947)

I don’t know if anyone took advantage of the program that was listed in our last newsletter from the Companion Bird Club of New York, but if you did, please tell us about it. Aristophanes just climbed up the back of my chair and is nibbling on my neck and my shirt. I think he wants to type the rest of this article.

I went to visit and have lunch with Fritha yesterday. It was the first time in two months that I was able to see her. "Her mother", my friend who owns the animal sanctuary where she lives, works on programs in NYC, like the Radio City Holiday Show, during this time of year. That makes it difficult for me to visit her. Fritha purred like a 7,500 pound cat when she saw me and I loved that. It is so wonderful and so amazing to have a warm and loving relationship with an elephant.

We have lots of great programs planned, as well as the rescheduling of Chad Seewagen. Hopefully they will all happen. We have and we are a most wonderful bunch of beings. Kiss those birds and love them and always work to make sure that the wild ones remain free and unmolested. No wild birds should ever be caught for the pet trade! Also, I want to thank those of you who have been submitting articles for our newsletter and making it great. For those who haven’t written any; PLEASE DO.