Freedom at a price

[kfelton0002]

Today was a very tragic day for me. My poor little gray male, Blitz got out the aviary door again and flew off. I flock called to him for 2 solid hours trying to pin point his location. He would call back to me frantically each time trying to do the same... poor little feller. He had flown up into the thick trees in front of the house and I couldn't get sight of him. I walked to an open area where there was no trees and called to him so he could see where I was if he were to fly. His calls started getting louder and very close, then I looked up and there he was, flying higher than any tree around. He was free and enjoying every minute of it. I kept calling and lost sight of him again. The next thing I knew, a huge chicken hawk flew into the trees and grabbed my poor little Blitz. I screamed and made a racket in an attempt to scare the hawk off. Blitz was screeching and crying, and I knew it was over. The hawk flew away with him and that is the last I saw of my lovely little boy.

On the way home a sad song came on the radio and it reminded me so much of my little Blitz. I could hardly see the road I was crying so hard. The song is by Faith Hill and the chorus goes: "In my dreams I'll always see you soar above the sky. In my heart there'll always be a place for you for all my life. I'll keep a part of you with me, and everywhere I am there you'll be."

My heart is broken and I haven't been able to stop crying. I have had Blitz since he was just a baby and he was 7 years old. I remember the day I brought him home. We had took his cage with us to pick him up, but I couldn't put him down. I held him the whole ride home and he kept tasting the gloss on my lips. The name of the lip gloss was called Strawberry Blitz and that is how he got his name. I was in the 8th grade. Blitz leaves behind his mate, Peanut a beautiful lutino pearl pied hen, and his little lutino son/daughter. Not to mention me and my husband who loved him very much. I will never forget him and will always have him in my heart.

I am so sad it had to happen this way.
:(

[tielmom]

RIP Blitz...I am so very sorry for your loss =(
I am even more sorry that you had to see what you seen...My cockatiel Snickers flew away on 6-18-10 and I seen a chicken hawk land on the branch he was on, but he flew just in time to get away. I threw a can of tea at the hawk and it flew away, but I was shaken up and crying so much after seeing that happen to him. We still do not have him, he is in someones home or still in the wild...sometimes I fear the worst, but I would have died if I seen it happen...again I am so very sorry.:(

[kfelton0002]

Thank you, and I'm sorry for your loss as well.

I still haven't told my husband yet, so having to re-tell the story to him will be very hard. Blitz was his favorite cockatiel, and mine as well. I have cried so much that I don't think I have any tears left. I wish now that I would have kept Blitz inside in a cage instead of putting him in the aviary with the other tiels. Maybe then he would still be here. He was so happy though, flying around and making babies with his girl Peanut. She seemed very confused when I left. She was just standing by the door looking out and calling for him. It was so sad. I hope she doesn't abandon their baby. I will be going back in the morning to check on them, so if she isn't taking care of the baby I will pull it for hand feeding.

At least I have a baby from him to remember him by. It is not the same as having him around, but it is something.
:(

[tielmom]

He is such a pretty bird...I am glad you have his baby...he/she will be a little part of Blitz, maybe he/she will have some of the same characteristics at Blitz...maybe he/she will want to have a taste of your lip gloss too...I certainly hope you bond well with his baby.
I hope that mom will not abandon the baby too...is this something they usually do?
Your Blitz looks so much like my Snickers...I hope you feel better soon.

Love is little baby like crazy.:love:

[kfelton0002]

From the way she was acting, I wouldn't be surprised if she did abandon the baby. She hardly ever leaves the nest, only to eat/drink and she didn't go in the nest the whole time Blitz was out of the aviary. When I left she was still callng for him, and hadn't returned to her baby. If the baby's crop is empty in the morning, I will pull it for hand feeding.

I will most definitely keep the baby because it is a part of him. And I hope it has some of the same quirky characteristics as him. That would be nice.

[Solace.]

I'm so sorry, that is so horrible.. made me cry while reading through your post. :(

R.I.P Blitz.

[Ezzie]

Oh my.. What a terrible thing to see, Im sorry you had to see him go like that, Thats something no teil parent ever wants to see:(

My thoughts go out to you and your family. Be positive even it is a time of sadness, You might have a chick on your hands and the teils need you more then ever!

Have you thought about adding more saftey features to the avery so this doesnt happen again?

[roxy culver]

I'm so sorry for your loss...R.I.P. Blitz...that's the one thing that saddens me after we lost Charcoal, I didn't have a baby of his to keep. Cherish the little one, your family is in our prayers.

[tielmom]

How is Peanut acting today...Is she caring for the baby? I certainly hope so...

[AlbyPepper]

I am so terribly sorry for your loss. That must have been a sickening thing to see. Absolutely heartbreaking. You are in my thoughts.

[Cassie]

I am so sorry. What an awful thing for you have to go through and witness. :(

[tielfan]

What a sad, terrible story - I feel so sorry. But please don't beat yourself up thinking of the things you could have done differently, because your intentions were good and you were trying to do what was best for your birds. Sometimes we find out too late that we made a mistake or that our best wasn't good enough or that our good intentions have gone wrong. It's tragic and we have a lot of grief and regret to deal with. But if you did what seemed right at the time, that's all that you really could have done. It's an imperfect world and sometimes bad things happen in spite of our efforts to make everything nice.

[tielmom]

Nicely said tielfan...

[Jenny10]

oh how horrible to have witnessed what you did. Fly high little Blitz.

big Hugs to you.

[Berdnerd]

Oh, I'm so sorry. That's absolutely tragic. I can't imagine what it would be like to see and hear one of my birdies as a hawk carried him away... Terrible. RIP sweet Blitz!

[C M]

I'm so very sorry, what a horrible occurrence; I cannot put into words how bad I feel for you and Blitz that this happened. I also cried while reading your post (still am). You had the best of intentions by letting him have a large aviary to fly in with other birds, please don't take it too hard on yourself, you wanted what was best for him. Rest well Blitz.

[jc119007]

It's so sad what happened, my thoughts are with you...(((HUGS)))

[xxxSpikexxx]

Rip Blitz :(

[Dezdemona]

I'm so terribly sorry for your loss. This should never have happened. At least he ended in an extraordinary way, he didn’t fade away of illness, his very last hours was in complete freedom and I think he liked it. But like I said; it shouldn’t have happened.

[kfelton0002]

Thank you all. I've been pretty down in the dumps about the whole thing. My husband and his dad actually thought they saw Blitz flying around the house, but I haven't been able to find any trace of him. Not even a feather. I don't think he would have been able to get away from the hawk. I miss him so much. He was the most friendly little guy, even while breeding and raising his baby. Peanut is doing well feeding their chick without him, but you can tell she misses him. She still calls to him and it's really sad. Their little baby is growing like a weed and is very healthy. I'll post pics as soon as I can. I've been working really odd hours at work so as soon as I get back on track I'll take some pics and put them up. Thanks again for all the support.

[tielmom]

I hope you start feeling better soon. I am glad to hear that Peanut is feeding their baby. I look forward to seeing their baby.

[nikol witch]

I am terribly sorry for your beautiful Blitz,he was beautiful.
Whatever happens in life,it always happens for a reason.
I am sure h eis in the cockatiel paradise flying with other sweet tiels and singing all together.
Take good care of your others cockatiels,and do not worry he is watching you from the sky.

[kfelton0002]

Thank you. I like to think Blitz is with my other cockatiel, Candy and they are flying around together. Candy was my first cockatiel, a little lutino hen I got when I was in the 6th grade. She flew away while I was at school one day and never came back. She was my best friend. I know they are better off now without any wire or cages, but I can't help but miss them and feel sad. Thank you all for your condolences.

[Cheryl]

I'm so sorry for your loss. I can completely understand the pain you are going through.
May he rest in peace. His legacy lives on through his little chick.

[Coral&Andrew]

i am so sorry for your loss completely tragic he is watching down on you,
i know how you feel at my mums my 2 cockatiels got out outside never seen them since :/
hope your okay x

[Jynxstorm]

I am sorry for your loss.

[WolfDragon]

Oh no! I'm so sorry! That's terrible T.T I can't even imagine that happening. I'm so sorry! *hugs*

[Cockatiel love]

I don't know if I have already commented but I am sorry this has happened R.I.P :(

[lperry82]

I am so sorry