Wheels for the Cage Part

Due to clever design, the top part of the Darryl/Stanley mansion is removable, leaving the bottom part, with the TV, in position, and the top part--the cage--separate for transporting.

When removed, the top part is fitted with wheels so the light but bulky house can be easily moved into a van for transport to an alternate friendly residence when the Birds' ghost writer is travelling.

The wheels are simply inserted into the pipes at the bottom of the cage portion and kept from falling out by that screw which you can see, which is removed and re-inserted--through the pipe--when the wheel is in place.

The complete mansion assembly has wheels, too, to facilitate cleaning the piles of seed husks and nesting material--and the odd feather--which they throw out of their cage and onto the floor of the living room.

Darryl's and Stanley's New Privacy Screen

Instead of abandoning the living room to Darryl and Stanley in the evening. I've decided to modify their home so that I can watch TV while they are asleep. I've added a roller shade to their cage to be pulled down so my movements and the lights at night won't bother their beauty sleep. (You can see here that they were watching cartoons--or listening to them.)

Another new development is my attempt to get another companion for me and for them. If I can get the finch breeder to respond to my e-mail and telephone calls, I'll arrange for their cage-mate--if one is available.

Darryl at His Cutest

Here is Darryl posing for a stock shot to be sent to the photo agencies.

Darryl Ponders Some Millet

mmmmm

Millet.

Conversation

That is Stanley on the left, Darryl on the right.

Flying Finch

That is Darryl flying while Stanley is observing his style and technique.

Darryl's Fine Feathers

Darryl is preparing to munch on some millet.

The New Home of Darryl and Stanley in My Living Room

I usually keep half open the vertical blinds behind the cage so the birds have a sunny and a shady side on which to perch. That window behind the blinds faces west. There are now two plants in the cage: thyme and baby tears, both of whose leaves the birds eat.

New Home for Darryl and Stanley, Completed

The mesh surrounding the top part is .5" galvanized squares, but the mesh was covered with baked-on white epoxy paint to protect the birds from the possible harmful effects of their eating the galvanized surface. There are two doors on each end of the top part. I can open either or both to make photos of the birds. There are four wheels at the bottom to make moving the cage easy for cleaning.

New Home for Darryl and Stanley, Stage 2

The bottom shelf will hold my TV and DVD player and the cable box. The top shelf is just under the birds' house and will support a long sheet of paper which I can change frequently from a roll which I bought in the children's (drawing) department of Ikea.

New Home for Darryl and Stanley, Stage 1

Here is the framework for a new house for Darryl and Stanley, completed at the beginning of August. That is 1" diameter plastic pipe. The top part separates from the bottom part so that I can take the top, with the birds in it, to a friend's housewhile I go travelling.

View of Daryl's Grave

I finally got up the courage a few weeks ago to take Daryl from the freezer and bury him. Above is a photo of his grave, with two bunnies for companions. He is in a nice garden with flocks of birds regularly visiting a nearby feeder.