Good morning everyone! Maxie thought she was going to starve before I got her first bites of breakfast to her. She really is a drama queen!
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She is much stronger today and doesn't just passively allow me to put the food-loaded toothpick down into her beak. She actually extends her neck up to accommodate this procedure, as it needs to land at the back of her throat in order for her to swallow. Also, I don't have to coax her to open her beak. It just flies open when I get my hand anywhere near! I fear for my fingertips, thinking she may mistake them for a meal!!!

I know understand why the food the birdie mother jams down there doesn't just come right back out when Momma removes her beak: there are actually two delicate "prongs" in the bottom of baby's beak which point toward the throat. Kind of like a miniature version of those tire rippers that you encounter in certain parking lots. So once the food goes past that point, there's just no coming back!

I suppose I will have to take her to work with me today, as I didn't arrange for a "bird-sitter." She can sit by me at my desk. We'll get along fine, as long as she doesn't begin flying today! She still hasn't discovered her wings! Not sure if she's actually an injuried birdie, or if she just failed her first flying lesson.

I do hold her outside the front door several times a day to see if she can hear Mom or Dad. So far, no response.

Her box got messy and so I changed her to a cottage cheese container with a flannel dustcloth wadded up like a nest.

I tried soaking the Puppy dog food, but it is quite resistant to softening up sufficiently. So we are back to the raw hamburger, warmed by pouring warm water over the little bowl of it, then draining.

Must get us all ready to drive 20 miles to work. I will drop the 3 grandkids (one bro and sis, and one visiting cousin) at son's house for the day. They had a good time last night playing at the park and toasting marshmallows for s'mores.

I think I will buy a jar of meat baby food today and see how enthusastically that is received by my little feathered food fanatic.
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