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Date: Tue Nov 19, 2002 7:49 pm
Subject: Tinkerbell and sentience
Hi folks at Freeflight and Birdclick,
I am touched by all the comments that you all have
made on those photos. I am glad you all enjoyed it
and I am sorry that I am not able to reply to
all individually.
I do have an ulterior motive in inviting you all to
see those shots of Tinkerbell in flight. While she is
the most beautiful bird in my biased
eye, a CAG is not the most colorful of bird. A few
months ago, we saw this young B&G macaw.
Ever since getting Tink, I notice parrots and macaws a
lot more. That 6 month B&G beauty and color captured
me and my wife hearts but we know we will not have the
time to have that as well. We had to force ourselves
to walk away.
I do hope those shots will prompt others to take
photos of their birds in flight (especially if you
have a B&G )
I am sorry that this follow-up email is late.
I heard of this music festival at Taroko Gorge over
the last weekend. I need less than half an excuse to
return to one of the most beautiful place in this
world.
I left on the early morning 1:40am train from Taipei
last Sat morning reaching Hualien near the mouth of
the gorge at about 5am. After a quick breakfast, I
rented a scooter with Joy hoping to reach the
Gorge at dawn to see the sunrise.
But it was drizzling. No enchanting sunrise.
However, I found Taroko to be hauntingly beautiful in
the misty rain. The music festival was in the
afternoon in Pulowan, a high hanging spur
valley and part of the Taroko Gorge.
We have the aboriginals chanting and drumming. We
have Bach and Mozart playing to the sight of drifting
clouds hiding the mountain peaks and
ridges in the distant until it was dark and time to
go.
The next day was spend in one of the most beautiful
hotspring at Wenshan. The water comes out at 48 degree
C and gets progressively cooler towards the other
pools.
Just bear in mind should you chose to look at those
photos that they cannot do true justice to Taroko.
Taroko Gorge Music Festival - The Gorge
Taroko Gorge Music Festival - The Music
Taroko Gorge Music Festival - Wenshan Hotspring
all moved to flickr because of atrocious help from Webshots
they are can be found in
http://www.flickr.com/photos/shanlung/sets/688525/
We got back to Tinkerbell and company late on Sunday.
We took care to leave enough food and water for all of
them.
Tinkerbell is used to coming out of her cage for an
hour in the morning before I go to work and out again
in the evening.
I mentioned before that she flies to do her poop break
but I did add the word 'normally'.
On this time, and on other times when we went off for
a few days, this is what I noticed. She will not be
very amenable for training. I will be calling her to
'come here' and she will act as if she is deaf and
that preening herself is the most important thing. If
ever she respond, it will be to fly to my wife instead
of me not withstanding I have a nice container of
succulent sweet sunflower seeds.
She will poop nicely away from me. After some time,
she will fly to me uncalled to land on my shoulder to
lay a small pile of poop, look at me in the eye, give
a squark and immediately fly off to the TV to preen
herself once more. I have been on record in telling
others to shout and scold their charges if they poop
where they should not poop and if they are caught in
the act.
However, in that situation, I am grateful for small
things such as it was a small pile and fairly dry.
Quite unlike the big pile she gave my wife after she
got back from a two weeks break. She must have timed
herself to build up a charge to let me know she is
unhappy over what I have done.
I am also mindful that on my very bad days, Tinkerbell
can be the epitome of sweetness in cuddling up to me
and watching the TV with me chilling out any extra bad
stresses.
I am happy to report on this Tuesday evening,
Tinkerbell has thoroughly forgiven me and she
responded to me in every way and she remembers her
poop break.
Our charges are not only intelligent but they are
sentient as well.
I have not freeflown her yet in the open. But one
thing for sure, she will not ever be free flown after
I left her for a couple of days.
They have their likes and dislikes and other emotions.
One reason I feel why clicker training is so
important is nothat the bird mechanicalisticly
associate it as action and reward. It is that we
clearly communicate our likes to the bird and allow
our world to intertwine at those points.
I do not believe in ever hurting our charges. I do
believe that as our duty to let them know our dislikes
as well, the same way we act with good friends rather
than a correct aloofness that have others to guess at
our real intents.
Sorry folks, time for me to get off my soapbox and
thanks for reading all the way to here.
With warmest regards
Shanlung & Tinkerbell and gang
www.flickr.com
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