Yes, Lele had been living 2 doors down. The way I figured it, when she was attacked she flew up and away in panic – as she should – but flew so far she didn’t know where she was. The husband 2 doors down, who was just getting ready to mow the lawn, happens to have a goatee like me and found himself being “mobbed” by a young Mynah looking for a comforting shoulder.

He and his wife figured out that it must be a lost, tame Mynah and eventually heard through the neighbor in between that we had a tame Mynah, too. A call and a short walk later Lele was once again in her cage in my room. Thanks to Meadow and Jesse she was alive, healthy and well fed.

You can imagine how relieved and happy I was.

While there are more interesting moments in the tale of Lele, this more or less brings us up to the present. We fixed her larger outdoor cage so she can’t get out but we’ve only been keeping her in there at night. During the day she comes and goes as she pleases. If I’m around she’d usually want to stay near me so I’d move my laptop around the yard and work while she got to know the whole place.

I noticed that she wouldn’t go up in the trees – a critical place for her to feel comfortable – so I move my office out under the mac nut trees and put her up in the branches when she started getting bored. When she got comfortable there I put her higher up. Soon she was happily hopping around in the tree like a…. well, like a bird.

Last night just as dusk was thinking about falling it started to rain. Perfect, I thought to myself, and went outside to see how Lele was handling the rain. It was her first time out in the rain on her own. She was hanging out on Rudy’s shoulder watching him eat watermellon under the shelter of the tarp. (sigh) Alright, little one, night is falling… now what are you going to do?

Naturally she sat on my shoulder. I walked out into the rain. She was getting wet, she shook the rain out of her eyes and hopped around trying to get comfortable. While my shoulder was safe it wasn’t comfortable. I put her on my hand and held it just under the overhanging plexiglass we have on top of her cage.

Again I could see her realizing something new. Oh. When it rains get under shelter. Oh. My food and water are both under the same shelter. Oh. Oh, I see how this works. She still didn’t want to go into her cage for the night, though. I don’t think she ever will like being in there more than being outside.

Today, as has been largely the case the past 3 or 4 days, she spent all day outside mostly on her own. I check on her once every hour or 2 just because I can’t stop being “dad” and she’ll hang out with us when we’re working outside. She eats bugs and some of the bird food we have for her. She drinks out of the water catchment for the garden like the other birds do. She easily avoids the cats and they’re learning that she’s not an easy target anymore. Sometimes when I check on her she’s super excited to see me and just wants to hang out. Sometimes she just gives me passing notice. I guess I’m going to have to let her go, at least let go of her constant company – but I’m sure I’m going to miss it. 

Today when it started raining she flew up into the mac nut trees for safety and shelter instead of to my shoulder under my hat.

My little Lele is growing up and behaving like a normal bird.

Except when she’s helping me paint or wanting to hang out on my shoulder. I guess like most dads I’m in no hurry for my little one to stop wanting to hang out with me. I’m just going to enjoy it while I can.