Billie the wonder Parrot 3

AJPeter · Post by **AJPeter** » Sun Nov 16, 2014 11:40 am

She ate a cheshnut last night well the inside part, l gave her less seeds tonight in the hope she will stock up on veggies. Syhe went to bed at the usual time but l wanted to watch TV but Bille started to bang her dummy egg, she was making it clear that she wanted peace and quiet.

sanjays mummi · Post by **sanjays mummi** » Sun Nov 16, 2014 1:26 pm

Good job it wasn't a real one!, the chick would have a headache!. We have never had a nasty chestnut, fortunately. I am not keen, but I love Marrons Glace.

AJPeter · Post by **AJPeter** » Mon Nov 17, 2014 11:54 am

I have heard of Glace cherries but what are Marrion glace?

Billie was ravenous this morning as l prepared her seed bowl she was sitting on the edge of her door the closest she could get, l always give a chance to pick the best seeds, but she put her foor out and grabbed the rim of the bowl so she could have seconds!

I always check the fruit/veg bowl to see what she has eaten and carrot, sweet pea, and sweet potato seemed ot be the favourites but her taste changes every day, she has gone off millet but seems ot be chomping cuttle fish bone. The cheshnuts were all sampled. And she has two quarters of pomegenite. At £1.25 for three l can let her be a little wasteful "Look there are some left."

She has been sitting in her box with a wet tail no it is bent all out of shape so it makes flying difficult for her. I shall be glad when she is done with sitting on dummy eggs, it is now 38 days since she laid two eggs.

sanjays mummi · Post by **sanjays mummi** » Mon Nov 17, 2014 2:15 pm

Marron Glace are glace chestnuts, fiddly to make, expensive to buy. Usually, Santa brings me some. I hope Billies tail straightens out! A girl needs her rudder for balance.

AJPeter · Post by **AJPeter** » Tue Nov 18, 2014 12:46 pm

Yes poor bird flew to my shoulder yesterday and ended end up on the floor. This morning she gave me a shock although l close the top down l leave the door unlocked so in an emergancy she could get out if l snuffed it. And as was a bit early l waited for our park lights to go out and pottered in the kitchen.

After 20 mins l went into the LR said "Good morning!" But no answer even when l removed the covers there was no answer. I had a looking the nesting box in case she had snuffed it and no one was in, so thinking she might have got out and was trapped l looked around and then saw her sitting on her sleeping perch looking at me. As soon as she realized she had been spotted she skeddalled back to the nesting box. But she did come out for breakfast. Billie was not as hungry today as yesterday.

I noticed her tail is a bit straighter today.

sanjays mummi · Post by **sanjays mummi** » Tue Nov 18, 2014 1:24 pm

So maybe Santa won't need to bring Billie tail straighteners for xmas?. After work this morning I popped into Tesco and got Sanjay a little pot of tropical fruit, he enjoys pineapple and these are ideal, I don't have to mess about peeling and cutting up a whole one. Does Billie like pineapple?. Methinks you might need night vision glasses.

AJPeter · Post by **AJPeter** » Tue Nov 18, 2014 1:31 pm

No Billie does not like Pineapple, she went off oranges, wont eat black grapes and white ones she has gone off. Oh she is a fuzzy lady!

Did you see that post from Little Buttercup? I'm so happy for Ash.

sanjays mummi · Post by **sanjays mummi** » Wed Nov 19, 2014 10:48 am

No, I haven't read it yet, life has got a whole lot better for Sanjay, passion fruit are back on the menu courtesy of our Asian market stall.

AJPeter · Post by **AJPeter** » Wed Nov 19, 2014 12:30 pm

I tried Passion fruit with Billie but l cannot remember how she reacted but she did not like it. I had a visitor this afternoon just as Bille was getting ready for bed, you can hardly say at the front door sorry you cannot come as my bird is just going to bed.

I know this visitor is not comfortable with the cage open that was all right with Billie but she sqwarked to let him know she did not want any visitors. I glared at her and she shut up but several times she came out of her box and stared at him.

Eventually he left, he was telling me how one morning he could not sleep so went for a stroll in the park at 5.30 am, I did not know the parks were open at that time. But he tripped and fell broke a finger chipped some ribs and nearly blinded himself when he smashed his glasses on the ground, he got on a bus and the driver never said a word!

sanjays mummi · Post by **sanjays mummi** » Wed Nov 19, 2014 1:11 pm

There's not a lot one Can say, except perhaps "Oops!".

AJPeter · Post by **AJPeter** » Thu Nov 20, 2014 11:31 am

Oh Dear what can the matter be Billie has laid another egg, perhaps she realized that the dummy eggs would never hatch, it must have been in the last 5 days, l do not want to distub her too often.
So Oct 10 and 12 she laid two eggs. Then she sat on them but after a week l craftily exchanged them dummies.

Today I moved her cage to unsettle her so she would not lay any more but it looks as if she has one in the spout, but this evening just before l covered her up she came and sat on the top of her cage and looked wistfully where her cage had been so l got the message she wanted it moved back more eggs of not. Besides l think she was in a draft where l had moved it to. I shall let her have 5 eggs after that l shall put my foot down.

I think l shall have to take her to the vets for an annual check up in January. i have been putting money into Billie's account for such a rainy day. So much for the idea they stop laying when they start sitting on the eggs!

sanjays mummi · Post by **sanjays mummi** » Thu Nov 20, 2014 2:42 pm

The best laid plans of birds and men gang aft agley, (sorry Robbie Burns). How is putting your foot down going to stop one determined little henny penny?

AJPeter · Post by **AJPeter** » Fri Nov 21, 2014 11:42 am

Crunch! "OOPS!"

Do Cuckoos feel guilt?

Now we are 4, two dummies and 2 reals, l would put the two reals back in her nesting box but l put them in the box with the last two remaining dummies and now cannot tell the difference!

In January Billie laid 6 eggs and she bashed all of them then after two weeks she laid 4 more. I accicentally broke one as l tried to clean under the nesting box, one she laid form the top of her cage and it did not bounce, l cannot remember what happened to the third and fourth.

I did everything l could to stop her laying in January and thought l would use the same tactics now but l remember the vet saying "Let her have laying cycle." The last time l saw it was lying in the shed. I find the best place to do any lying is in bed.

"One more!" I told her. And then is curtains." Crem type.

I thought it was mice and men?

sanjays mummi · Post by **sanjays mummi** » Fri Nov 21, 2014 1:41 pm

It is "O' mice and men", that is why I apologised to Rabbie. I'm surprised an egg hasn't landed on you, she lays them so, whither and thither!

AJPeter · Post by **AJPeter** » Fri Nov 21, 2014 3:35 pm

She is still chomping cuttlefish bone which is a bit worrying, may be she will lay again making 5 but l hope she wont, but she wants several neck and head scratches a day. She looks in good condition, feathers are nice, vent clear and feathers neat around the vent. She got a bit stroppy when l wanted to watch TV after she had been covered up.

sanjays mummi · Post by **sanjays mummi** » Sat Nov 22, 2014 3:03 am

Maybe she wanted to watch her favourite soap?. If she looks good, she probably Is good, I am being nagged, Sanjay wants his fresh rations. I was chatting to a female police officer yesterday, (in the shop), she was telling me awwwl about an African Grey she inherited, had me in fits of laughter at its antics!.

AJPeter · Post by **AJPeter** » Sat Nov 22, 2014 11:47 am

African Greys are massive, and do ten times the damage and poop a ton each time and their language is terrible, Billie with her problems is much better than an AG.

No more eggs last night and she does not look as if she is going to lay so keep your fingers crossed that is the end.

I had a look inside the nesting box today her two eggs and the two dummies looked just bonny. Does Sanjay go off things? Billie does! Millet spray looks all forlorn and even the pomegranite is not getting so much attention.

She was a bit late in pooping today l began to get worried of late there has been a lot urine but today that seems to have cleared up, well at least l clear up.

I do not like soaps they seem so implausible, Billie must watch after l have gone to bed!

sanjays mummi · Post by **sanjays mummi** » Sat Nov 22, 2014 12:44 pm

Sanjay listens and peeks through the cover at Eastenders, what made us laugh once was him saying "ooh I fay!" And "oo'er miffuf" (missus) when it was on once. He picked this up from daddi who would say it when looking through the window blind. Parrots only mimic what they hear, this lady's AG isn't potty mouthed because her mother wasn't,

AJPeter · Post by **AJPeter** » Sun Nov 23, 2014 11:32 am

Billie has been eating everything is sight including some roast chestnuts, l suddenly remembered a toast and grill toaster l had put away and grilled some chestnuts as soon as she bit into one that had cooled down you could see it was something she had never tasted before. She had a second bite and then a third but became bored with it and dropped it onto the cage floor l retrieved it and broke some off it was very nice this rekindled her interest so l gave her the rest but after a few more bites she threw it away. I told once you get used to taste you will eat a whole one and wait until l give you a hot chesnut!

Bille still does not talk or make a lot of noise, last year soon after l had got her she started to sceech from the top of her cage so l used a referee's whistle tp counter this screeching and l think shut her up for good!

She does make this squeal sort of sound l call out "Are you all right?" and she gives a squeal in reply which when interpreted says "No l am half left!!"

sanjays mummi · Post by **sanjays mummi** » Sun Nov 23, 2014 12:14 pm

We have had an on off sort of day, something is tripping my circuit board. I unplugged everything and plugged them one at a time, as you do, no joy, its not the kitchen sockets, they stay on. But it only happens intermittently, like once an hour, so we are very fed up. The sparky is coming tomorrow I hope he can find the problem, Sanjay has an LED workmans torch on his roof because when it goes off it scares him a bit .I have the little torch.

AJPeter · Post by **AJPeter** » Sun Nov 23, 2014 1:26 pm

It could be outside, we had a several power cuts one last severall hours, and some lasting only minutes each time it tripped the fuse board, it is unlikely to be a surge unless it was a big one, if it continues think about changing the fuses in the pugs, just take one out and replace it and if it happens again use that fuse for the next replacement, sometimes a fuse will short across the terminals caused by dust or dirt or even damp.

It might be a loose wire when you replace all the fuses check that wires in the terminal and that they are screwed tight. A couple of weeks ago l had to hit my flouerescent tube in the kitchen to get it to come on but the elctrican discovered a loose wire/

I lived in big house once and the basement would regulary flood it was a worry as the water crept up to the main fuse board but it stopped short each time.

Billie did not even notice the power failure, but she might be disturbed if l blunder about with a torch.

sanjays mummi · Post by **sanjays mummi** » Sun Nov 23, 2014 1:50 pm

Thank you very muchly, AJ, I actually changed the fuse in my elderly TV, and noticed quite a bit of dust touch wood its over an hour since. Sanjay has gone to bed, so he won't be affected if it does happen again.

AJPeter · Post by **AJPeter** » Sun Nov 23, 2014 3:58 pm

Always a good idea to have torches and spare batteries to hand, l have two wind up generator radio's one with world short wave bands.

sanjays mummi · Post by **sanjays mummi** » Mon Nov 24, 2014 2:28 am

The problem is still with us, but I've narrowed it down to four possibilities on my circuit board, I had a call this morning to tell me someone would be out on Dec 12th!, so, I'm supposed to go without a shower until then?, needless to say I gave them short shrift, and its been put back on the emergency list. Poor Sanjay!, he would have been a nervous wreck.

sanjays mummi · Post by **sanjays mummi** » Mon Nov 24, 2014 9:28 am

It was the extractor fan in the kitchen the wiring probably nibbled by upstairs tenants resident mice, (he said), so its been isolated for now, and he's coming back on Dec 18 th to sort it out. He admired Sanjay, who for a change, didn't panic at the sight of a stranger. He was probably relieved as I was it got "forted"

AJPeter · Post by **AJPeter** » Mon Nov 24, 2014 1:15 pm

Oh l am glad that was sorted. Billie likes bald headed men that rules me out but the last one to call, Gordon she bit him on the neck he hasn't been since! I told Gordons wife that it was a love bite!

Many years ago l lived in an up stairs flat in a terraced house and there were mouse noises coming from behind the kitchen cupboards l thought that was quaint until l reached in for a packet of porridge one day only to find the mice had nibbled open a corner and oats pout over the floor. I bought some mice and rat killer, and a few years later in a spring clean l found a shrivelled up mouse in the back of the fridge l thought then l would never use any rodent killer again.

That is until a new insecticide came in to the pet shop and l used it spray under a display fridge and the next morning there were millions of dead cock roaches on the floor and for weeks after customers would take down a packet of something or other and there would be a cockroach on its back waving its legs.

sanjays mummi · Post by **sanjays mummi** » Mon Nov 24, 2014 1:42 pm

Eeeooow!, I have Big Cheese plug ins, but mice and rats detest the smell of peppermint oil too. Obviously the gap between my ceiling and their joists is impossible to defend.

AJPeter · Post by **AJPeter** » Tue Nov 25, 2014 11:59 am

If you resort to an old fashioned mouse trap "SNAP!" do not bait it with cheese, the common misconception comes from Tom and Jerry use nuts.

Dummies fall out you two reals on the left into the nest Billie has now got her eggs back l had to warm them ont he radiator after all l did not want her catching a chill from sitting on cold eggs its the sort of feeling one gets when on a cold and frosty morning the sort King Wencelas enjoys you discover the bus will take 20 mins to arrive and you sit down, l would not wish that on Billie.

I have not seen much of her today this morning l went shopping and this afternoon l played the organ however l enticed her out with a bit of bread. Still a bit worried about her poops it usaully happens mid morning, but there is a goodly.

sanjays mummi · Post by **sanjays mummi** » Tue Nov 25, 2014 3:26 pm

Rodents like peanut butter. I won't use traps, bait makes them thirsty, they go back out to find water, and don't die indoors and stink the place out. Big Cheese plug ins deter them full stop. It was freezing here today and the shop was bitter the door is in need of repair so it stays open until closing time. I told my boss, if it isn't fixed soon I won't be doing any shifts. Sanjay was ok my flat was lovely and toasty when I got home.

AJPeter · Post by **AJPeter** » Wed Nov 26, 2014 11:28 am

I know how cold you are l wore two sets of winter thermals the vests had long sleves and I had a balaclava on under my trilby, two pairs of woolen gloves the inner pair with fingers cut off, but it made no difference the boss said the shutter stays up, When l complained about the cold l was told to move faster!

It is becoming milder again so you can last a few more days. How we spoil them l keep the gas fire on the pilot setting this is enough to keep the room just warm but when it got really cold l turned the gas fire up to low, after all Billie is sitting on cold eggs you have to look after these mums.

About 3 pm l have a snack 2 slices of currant bread, Billie blew the whistle at 10 minutes to 3 she thought it was time for eleven's and l always give her some. She does not like crusts, l broke too big a piece off the other day with a crust she nibbled the bread and threw the rest on the floor.

I am very pleased she is not showing any signs of the hormonal problem she had back in January where she would cry out and sit on the bottom of the cage all crunched up.

she dropped a big dollop of poop mid morning so no problem there.

sanjays mummi · Post by **sanjays mummi** » Wed Nov 26, 2014 3:10 pm

Coo! Must be the currant bread. My boss suggested I borrow a cardi off the rails, but apart from already wearing a sweater And cardi, I didn't see any I would have liked to wear.yes, much milder today, but grey and damp, there's no happy medium at the moment. Sanjay had his fig dipped in Greek yogurt today very nom nom!

AJPeter · Post by **AJPeter** » Wed Nov 26, 2014 3:27 pm

Billie had greek yogut then she went off it , now l think it might have been the honey, l might try again with plain greek yogurt, she might like that. Sanjay lives like a king.

So no swimwear parade this week?

sanjays mummi · Post by **sanjays mummi** » Thu Nov 27, 2014 10:24 am

Sanjay had chestnuts today, and broke into sing song afterwards. His daddi used to say he ate better than us!, (never in a grudging way tho'). He still isn't saying as much as he used to, I think he got more pleasure when he interrupted our conversations.

AJPeter · Post by **AJPeter** » Thu Nov 27, 2014 12:35 pm

In the morning and evenings l whistle to Billie in the hope she wiil think it is the dawn chorus, l forgot to put vitamins into her seed bowl this morning and she has been scoffing seeds all day. She calls me with a loud chirp when she wants a head rub or shoulder ride, she climbed over the top of the cage and reached for a box of sunflower seeds on a shelf she could just reach but l knew what she wanted.

Since she laid the eggs she has not bitten me, and she is shuch a sweertie she does not mind if l move her eggs, l put some extra wood chips in for her.

And l forgot to the cheshnuts too bother!

sanjays mummi · Post by **sanjays mummi** » Fri Nov 28, 2014 2:47 am

Maybe laying eggs has mellowed her?, or maybe her biting was hormonal?. I am very fortunate with Sanjay, I rarely, if ever, get bitten.

AJPeter · Post by **AJPeter** » Fri Nov 28, 2014 12:35 pm

Poor Billy!

Last night she must have moved an egg and dented it, it then it leaked and trying to sit on it she got stuck so this morning she came out and climbed the caged with a white object between her legs. I thought the had laid another but this had not come out properly.

I checked the eggs i her nesting box 3 should have been four. I carefully prised her off the cage top and sprayed the egg eventually it came free, but she started to struggle so l had to towel her but she was very sore underneath so l took her into the bathroom and used the shower head to wash warm water between her legs.

From the look on her face she enjoyed that, l then left her sitting under the hot air blower while went into the LR to tidy up her cage. The egg by the way was stinking me out, l cleaned out her bedding and threw it away, took the dented egg and the three other reals eggs and threw them away. Renewed her bedding and put the dummy eggs in, and then went and fetched her.

She dived for the nesting box and was moving the dummies around by this time l had got her breakfast organised, and she ate like there was no tommorow.

To be continued

AJPeter · Post by **AJPeter** » Fri Nov 28, 2014 12:42 pm

Sometimes when the post gets too long l lose it, however, made some porridge for her made with semi skinned milk and and no sugar she ate almost all of it, then she came out and preened her self biting off the hard feathers she began to respectable again.

She went to bed early and was asleep before you could say Jack Robinsonon on the sea floor.

Poor Billie

sanjays mummi · Post by **sanjays mummi** » Sat Nov 29, 2014 1:52 am

Oh my! Such drama, I remember seeing a pigeon with an egg stuck just above the front of its feet. I assume it happens often. In fact given how soft the shells are when they are laid, it is isn't surprising. I'm glad she recovered from the trauma.

AJPeter · Post by **AJPeter** » Sat Nov 29, 2014 12:54 pm

She sits on top of the cage and chirps then she will allow me to stroke her, but she still smells of that old egg smell. Any ways she had a good night sleep last night. When she goes back into the nesting box l can hear her arrange the dummy eggs the way she wants.

If l turn box round so l can see inside or turn a side light on she swears like a trooper, but when she comes out to feed she lets me look inside.

I gave ber a piece of fruit bread with too many currants in it and she took one look and tossed it away, then l gave her a piece with a crust and she threw that awaytoo with out even looking at it, then l gave her small piece it was that was left, and she ate that to the end.

sanjays mummi · Post by **sanjays mummi** » Sat Nov 29, 2014 3:36 pm

Not the right butter. Sanjay likes his fruit bread toasted, but as it is very sweet I don't offer it to him often. He likes organic seeded bread, because he can pick the seeds out. He was a bit stroppy first thing but didn't attempt to attack me or anything I think he got off his night perch on the wrong side.

AJPeter · Post by **AJPeter** » Sun Nov 30, 2014 11:58 am

First thing in the morning Billie climbs up inside of her cage looking like death warmed up, after quickly sampling yesterdays seeds and pomegranite she retires until l come with fresh and she eats like there is no tomorrow. I put a bowl of water in but her cage because she still whiffs of that egg, but she ignorred the bowl all day. But this afternoon she came and sat on the top and chirped, then she looked towards the bathroom so l got the message. But she stood on the clothes horse she did not want to go under the shower, so l took it down and sprayed her between her legs she loves that.

She smells nice and clean now.

I wonder if she would like toasted fruit bread?

sanjays mummi · Post by **sanjays mummi** » Sun Nov 30, 2014 1:07 pm

I dunno, but you might. I did a daft thing today I had my reading glasses perched pn my head when I went near Sanjay and he snatched them off and dropped them. They didnt break. Maybe he saw his own reflection?.

AJPeter · Post by **AJPeter** » Mon Dec 01, 2014 12:04 pm

I think all birds hate spectacles Billie bites my frames the optician said to me "What are all these teeth marks on your frames?" I told him it was a pet shark and l think he believed me!

She used to try and pull them off my nose. Glad your specs did not break, Maybe Sanjay wants a pair of his own?

At breakfast time l went out to the kitchen and made some porridge and and after eating that l went back to the LR and Billie was standing on top of the cage "No porridge for you." l said, she looked down hearted so l added "You can have porridge yesterday and you can have porridge tomorrow but you can not have porridge today." I could see she was close to tears so l relented and made her some porridge a tea spoon of oats and some semi skimmed milk 50 x 50 secs and blow on it until it was cool enough l put it into a bowl and sat it down by her. She looked inside and then looked at me so l got a spoon and offered her some porridge she was as happy as a porridge boy.

Billie called me to the top of the cage this afternoon it was about 3.30 pm and as soon as l walked towards her she dived for her nesting box. Strange l thought and went back to sit down. Two minutes later she chirped twice very loudly from the top of her cage and as soon as l walked towards her she dived down for her nesting box but this time l got the message, she wanted to be covered up
but for two hours after she was huffing and puffign that l did not turn the TV off but l had turned all the lights off and was listening with head phones so l thought she had some cheek.

sanjays mummi · Post by **sanjays mummi** » Mon Dec 01, 2014 2:23 pm

Sanjay doesn't mind the telly when he is covered up, but he does object to other noisy noises. Nothing dramatic today, I brought some cooked chicken pieces home, which pleased him no end. It got dark by 3.30pm which neither of us likes. These past few weeks when I've finished at 5pm, the traffic has been horrendous, and the bus journey takes twice as long. Even though he has a UV light, I always leave the standard light switched on when I leave for work.

AJPeter · Post by **AJPeter** » Mon Dec 01, 2014 3:00 pm

Does Sanjay have the cage open when you go out? When Biliie was looking for nest she was a pain getting everywhere on the floor but now the nest search is over l can leave cage open when l go out.
Yesterday l went to church and she was quite happy with the cage open and tomorrow it is shoppping day so l shall leave her open again. She is a s good as gold.

sanjays mummi · Post by **sanjays mummi** » Mon Dec 01, 2014 4:25 pm

No, never. If he got into another room, he wouldn't be able to find his way back, and because he has such a massive cage, there's no need, he can fly and flit about in it. I remember a Workman telling me he left.his Aussie Sulphur Cockatoo out one day when he was at work. When he got home the wallpaper had been stripped!.

AJPeter · Post by **AJPeter** » Tue Dec 02, 2014 12:14 pm

Cockatoo's and Macaws are like children, however l am glad l can leave Billie open during the day and of a night time she gets coverd with 2 fleece and a summer quilt, and she has her nesting box to stay warm but l leave the door open under all the blankets so if l snuffed it one night she could get out.

Sanjay has of course his UV light to keep him warm, l was wondering where l could buy some DK's for Billie she won't need the camisole.

I cooked some porridge sprinkled with grape nuts for her today and spoon fed her but when she had a second grape nut she closed her eyes and savoured the taste. This afternoon just before l covered her up l gave some hot fruit loaf toast but she was not keen.

sanjays mummi · Post by **sanjays mummi** » Wed Dec 03, 2014 1:21 pm

Maybe its the butter?. Does Billie like sugar snap peas?, Sanjay loves them, and, I found blackberries today. The shop door has been repaired, but milady still insists on having it open, the peasants are revolting!, and threatening to leave.

AJPeter · Post by **AJPeter** » Wed Dec 03, 2014 3:19 pm

There is a limit to what you can put up with as you are revolting can you take a few days off to get you over the cold period, worse would they have you back when the weather got warmer, going to be cold over the next few days.

Billie was cold this morning, l put the gas fire on medium to warm her up and after a shower and dressing she was sitting on top of the cage basking in rays of the gas fire.

Sugar snap peas are on the menu but often they are not touched, l am tryingto reduce her sweet things so only roots other than pomegranite which is too popular to leave out, breakfast time she was sitting on top of her cage smacking her lips waiting for her porridge, l find it best to spoon feed
her. She has one tea spoonful of oats and three of semi skimmed milk but it was a bit stodgy so l threw in a bucket of water but it was still a bit thick, however she does not like it runny.

This afternoon l toasted some Warburtions seed batch but she turned her nose up at that l think she prefers the currant bread.

I thought you might query DKs but you may have other things on your mind.

sanjays mummi · Post by **sanjays mummi** » Thu Dec 04, 2014 1:49 am

A DK is a double knit, yes?. Quality time with Sanjay today, as I don't have to go anywhere. Not that he cares!, he feigns indifference when I say "see ya later", but when I get home, he gives the game away by flitting on to his inside door perch, and bobbing his head, "hello sweetie, have you been good?" I say, and he makes a funny little noise in reply.