Photo: Steve Martin of Natural Encounters, Inc.

“Parrot Nation” is a nonfiction manuscript in progress that covers the world of Aviculture. I have about half of it completed. All that remains are the chapters needing research that involve getting on more planes. Since I’m on airplanes about 18 days a month, I loathe doing it on my days off. However, I have to get moving and finish the research whether I like it or not.

“Parrot Nation” is also my blog. While it’s primarily about birds; parrots in particular, it also covers other aspects of living with parrots and their impact on people’s lives. It’s about whatever happens to cross my mind at the time, but in view of the fact that I have three African Greys parked in my living room, they do tend to take up a lot of my time.

I worked at the Cincinnati Zoo for 6 weeks total photographing the Zoo, the animals, the exhibits and most importantly, looking into the lives of the people who work there. Zoo keeping is not, as the Keepers themselves describe it: “Bunny Hugging”. It is viciously tough work, and for the most part, it’s not about the animals, but the care and feeding of them. I hope you find my posts and photos as eye-opening and illuminating as I did when delved into the “Back Side” of the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens.

I also spent some time at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, Utah; the largest animal sanctuary and adoption center in the country.

Both were amazing experiences and I came away from both of them profoundly changed.  This blog is about life with parrots, life in the air, any anything else crossing  my path that I find interesting to write about.  I hope you find something of interest and come back often.

Thanks for visiting,

Patricia