# Hermes, Echo & YoYo (Ongoing Thread)



## BooksBudgies

I've kind of been MIA these past couple weeks (even missed the BOTM! ) Ever since I finished up the breeding journal, I haven't really had a place to post pictures so thought it high time I made an ongoing thread for my two little ones  I had one for Herm & Izzy but seeing as she's at a new home, thought it best to just start a new one. She's doing great by the way! I'll get to bird-sit her whenever her owner leaves (The same goes for all the chicks as well) so they may be making guest appearances!

I recently got a new camera, which is a lot better than my old one but it also means I'm figuring out its settings. So these first pictures aren't the greatest so bear with me  These pictures are pretty dark because as many of you know, higher shutter speed means less light. Today was our first snow, so the lighting was really low so that also didn't help. By the end I was figuring it out though!

Little Echo is going through his first molt. He's handling it pretty well, though. And I'm very happy to say that he still loves head scratches before bed; I was worried he would grow out of it. He still may but he still loves the attention. I've also taken to leaving the radio on all day and the two of them love the music. I'm hoping Echo may pick up a few phrases...

Blurry silhouettes (don't worry they can't hurt themselves flying into the window I have a cover over it)









Bathtime. They both love baths so much it cracks me up- like father like son I guess. They end up hopping on top of each other and trying to go in at once. They've been learning patience lol























Collision


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## JRS

Very cute.
Love the last photo!


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## Therm

Nothing has ever been as cute as a wet budgie! I love it!


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## StarlingWings

They're so adorable! I see Echo takes over his dad's bathing habits


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## Hunterkat

How cute! That's so funny that they both try to hog the bath


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## BooksBudgies

Thanks everyone! 

Have some more pictures and took *most* of them when I actually had half-decent lighting. So these should be an improvement over the last ones lol

Head scratches before bed. It's hard to tell in this picture, be Echo will tilt his head all the way to the side (almost upside down) so I'll get just the right spot!









Brought out their "granola bars"
















Erm...still not a great flight photo. Getting better at balancing the shutter speed and amount of light but still needs some work. Turned it into a funky picture with some editing though! 









Got the light but not the right shutter speed this time









What a Cutie Patootie! :001_wub:
























Echo trying to figure out the giant black box making clicking noises









Not to be outdone...the gorgeous Hermes









I changed out their toys again and put in this one. This was Echo's favorite one as a chick (he'd hop up on my hand before he could fly and make me hold him up so he could play with it)









But now he can do it all by himself. He was having a ball- hanging upside down, stretching out to reach it. He's a very athletic boy!


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## Therm

Nice pictures.


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## Hunterkat

They are precious! Little Echo is growing up so fast :001_wub:


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## Goldenwing

Thanks for the adorable pictures! I love the bath ones especially, since my budgie doesn't seem to like baths.

Goldenwing (and Lemon Drop) :lutino linnie:


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## BooksBudgies

As always, thank you for the lovely comments! 

Hermes misses being in the spotlight so he's the subject in this post lol.

Gorgeous boy, look at those feathers! 
















Playing with his son...wow sometimes I forget that they're father and son!









Why do I even bother buying them fancy toys and perches when they're just going to sleep on the side of the cage? Must just be a genetic thing- Hermes went through the same phase when he was younger. Now he's mature enough to just use the swing haha.


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## Goldenwing

Hermes is gorgeous (and seems to know it  )! You are an excellent photographer. Budgies do not always pose like we want them to do. Lemon Drop wishes she had a picture of herself that was that good. 

Goldenwing and Lemon Drop :lutino linnie:


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## StarlingWings

What beautiful photos of Hermes and Echo!! Hermes looks like watercolors


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## FaeryBee

*Hermes is absolutely gorgeous!! *


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## BooksBudgies

StarlingWings said:


> What beautiful photos of Hermes and Echo!! Hermes looks like watercolors


Thank you! And haha yes, I think that's why I always end up doing watercolor paintings of him  So consequently he's the one that has the most watercolor paintings of my animals.



Goldenwing said:


> Hermes is gorgeous (and seems to know it  )! You are an excellent photographer. Budgies do not always pose like we want them to do. Lemon Drop wishes she had a picture of herself that was that good.
> 
> Goldenwing and Lemon Drop :lutino linnie:


Thank you!! And haha yes budgies definitely are little busybodies. Behind every good picture there are double the amount of blurry, out-of-focus pictures. Hermes has always loved and posed for the camera though so that's helpful 



FaeryBee said:


> *Hermes is absolutely gorgeous!! *


Thank you so much! I'm kind of biased but I think so too!


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## Hunterkat

Silly Echo sleeping on the side of the cage. Budgies never do what you want them to!
"Hey here's a cool new toy I think you'll love it!" 
"Nah I'm going to go play with my own molted feather. Or my food." Or the other alternative "AHHH NO MONSTER GET IT AWAY"
I love the new pictures!


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## BooksBudgies

I can't muster up the grit to study Precalculus for another 5 hours (the final is on Monday) so I decided to take pictures of my boys instead!!  Want to do some art tonight if I have time so hopefully I can post that in the coming days as well. Only 9 days until Christmas!!!

Herm is finishing up a molt. He wasn't too chipper for a few days but he's pretty much back to himself again lol









I love that they both loves baths so much! It makes my heart happy. They were both diving in before I finished attaching it to their cage























I love how the water drops look against their feathers...I have yet to get a really crisp picture of it but maybe someday I will.









Boys will be boys:whatever:

















Sometimes I forget how many feathers they have!









Streeeeetch









Echo being cute









I love how Hermes' goldenface affects the cobalt. I love the seafoam green color!!








He was pretty tired after all the "excitement"









And Echo's silhouette against the snow. My car doesn't have 4 wheel drive and I live in the top of a hill and it made it up the hill for approximately 3 seconds before it stopped. My dad had to get me in his 4-wheel drive car lol


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## Goldenwing

Beautiful pictures of your adorable budgies! Thanks for sharing! Lemon Drop enjoyed looking at them too.

Goldenwing and Lemon Drop :lutino linnie:


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## FaeryBee

*I love the new pictures of Hermes and Echo!*


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## JRS

It’s great to see father & son getting along so well together!
Best of luck with your finals :fingerx:


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## Hunterkat

Good luck with finals! Your budgies are gorgeous, as always


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## BooksBudgies

JRS said:


> Best of luck with your finals :fingerx:





Hunterkat said:


> Good luck with finals! Your budgies are gorgeous, as always


Thanks guys! I am happy to say that I aced all of them! Whew glad those are done...sheesh it's been a month already!

Well I haven't been able to use my camera lately, which is unfortunate because I got Hermes and Echo a new toy and they _love_ it. Especially Echo. It's adorable. So, when my camera is up and running for pictures again you can expect to see some of that!

In the mean time, here's a picture of Echo starring in my latest commission! I posted this on my art thread so for those of you that follow both, I apologize. But I need something to post on this one it's been too long!


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## FaeryBee

*Congratulations on acing all your finals! :cup:

I love the new artwork starring Hermes.*


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## BooksBudgies

Thank you!!

I found some old pictures of Echo Hermes and had to share. It makes me nostalgic going through some of Echo's baby pictures:001_wub:

Here he is at 5 weeks

















Here he is with his dad during out of cage time


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## Hunterkat

I love seeing these two- they are just so precious!


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## BooksBudgies

Hunterkat said:


> I love seeing these two- they are just so precious!


Thank you! 

Okay, finally have my camera again!

Hermes is looking a little scruffy at the moment









Even scruffy, he is still a _very_ handsome boy!









If you look closely, Echo's starting to develop grey irises. He's growing up! I'm going to miss his button eyes:blush:









But he's still not as tall as his old man lol.









Here's their new toy! They love it and are actually getting pretty good at shooting baskets. It's so entertaining watching them. I'll have to get better action shots next time.

















And eating their veggies like good boys. Except they both wanted the same piece of carrot...lady and the tramp moment anyone? 









Echo grew up eating his veggies so he's super easy now, for which I am thankful! It took me a year to convince Hermes to eat them.









And this isn't the clearest shot but I thought it was funny! Echo kept bringing back his vegetables to eat on his branch, and he dropped it so they were both looking down as it fell.


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## StarlingWings

Those are great photos, Katie! They both are very handsome boys! Echo is getting so big!


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## FaeryBee

*Very handsome fellows, indeed! Great pictures. *


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## ReneBC

Great photos 
They are very handsome!


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## QueensGrave

You are a great photographer and what beautiful subjects you have!


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## BooksBudgies

Thank you Thank you!!

We had a sudden hailstorm and the birds were enjoying front-row window seats









Fed them some tasty apple today! They don't get it very much since most of their fresh food consists of veggies haha. And because they don't see it very often, they were quite wary of it at first.









Hermes kept inching closer and closer...trying to sneak by Echo and grab a bite! It's funny, Echo is Hermes' son, but he's the dominant one of the two.























The stare down









Patience is key, Hermes








It's amazing how many positions it takes to taste every little bit of it. Echo is quite the active eater 
































My shutter speed wasn't quite ready to handle that sudden movement haha.


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## Hunterkat

So cute


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## BooksBudgies

Ahhh! Has it really been 3 months since I've updated this? Yikes!

Well, quick update on life in general...I've been visiting colleges and have narrowed it down to the 3 I want to apply to. I finish my junior year of high school in 6 days and am in the midst of AP Tests and Finals. I've been working on a new children's book with an organization I've been volunteering with for the past 5 years. I've mentioned it before- we use miniature horses as therapy animals. This book is about the value of owning pets and the lessons they teach us. Spoiler alert: my birdies (or at least Echo) might be in it! If so, here is the raw of a potential photo...he was being a bit of a stinker and not cooperating so we moved from Plan A all the way down to Plan F. I think the trait will be something like "observance" or "learning" or something like that. If you'd like I can post the other photos we have so far, without showing any faces of course  I'm also working on finding a job to work at this summer.

Oh! Also, I may be doing my senior project working with a biologist studying wild birds! When I know more I'll share, but I'm super excited! I promise I'll update with actual pictures soon, but for now I'll post the one that may show up in the book. Next week I'm on summer vacation so you should be seeing some stuff then!  I'll also update my art journal then too lol.


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## Hunterkat

Have fun with the college search!! Any idea what you want to major in? 
That research project sounds like a lot of fun! Love the picture of you and Echo by the way 🙂


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## RavensGryf

All of that sounds super exciting Katie! I wish you all the best for everything ahead of you..:thumbsup: Btw, I love the black oval  I’m like that too, with regard to the internet .


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## BooksBudgies

Hunterkat said:


> Have fun with the college search!! Any idea what you want to major in?
> That research project sounds like a lot of fun! Love the picture of you and Echo by the way &#128578;


Haha thanks, but it's not me in that picture  We're photographing lots of different children for the book but I still want to keep their privacy...even though it's getting published but it's different than being on the internet. I want to major in Biology and go into wildlife biology, so it'll be a great opportunity to confirm my future job choice!



RavensGryf said:


> All of that sounds super exciting Katie! I wish you all the best for everything ahead of you..:thumbsup: Btw, I love the black oval  I'm like that too, with regard to the internet .


Thank you! I am super excited for this summer. 2 days of school left.

The birdos were looking adorable after church today so I had to snap a few pictures to post haha.

Echo is officially looking like a grown lil man! His cere is all the way blue now and his grey irises developed. Kind of sad to see the last of his baby look go:sad: But he's a very handsome guy now!!
























And of course, we can't forget Hermes! There are lots of bird's nests outside my window so the two of them have been enjoying listening to all of the chicks trilling. They're so loud you can hear them through the window!!


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## RavensGryf

Aw, Echo is an adorable little young man! Hermès is his handsome self .


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## BooksBudgies

I have some super exciting news!! But I'm waiting until I know for sure it'll happen until I share it.

But for now, enjoy some pictures of these two handsome devils!

Not sure what he's looking at...









Hermes is getting a little tired of his maturing son and his hormones lol. But they're still getting along well and sometimes it turns into sweet mutual grooming. Ahhh I can't believe it's already been a year since Hermes & Izzy were bred!























B&W Herm









Why go around when you can go through?









Echo didn't even let Hermes take a bath today, he hogged it the entire time. Poor Herm









Fluffy birb









Cutest photobomber









Ahh Hermes's gorgeous plumage I can't even









Derp. I need to get them some new perches...some of theirs are looking a little worse for wear


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## RavensGryf

Gorgeous boys Katie . Look at the colors of Hermès in the last 2 pics! Just stunning!!


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## StarlingWings

They are absolutely stunning! Loved seeing photos of them, as usual


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## Goldenwing

Wonderful pictures! You have very photogenic birds. I especially like the photo bombing one and Echo going through the ladder.

I had no idea that you were so young, Katie. Your posts are very mature and you have such drawing talent. I was sure you were out of college already.


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## Hunterkat

I love Echo trying to go through the ladder :laughing: what a goof! Hermes is such a handsome man <3


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## sweettreat

Your birds are stunning.
It sounds exciting to be a wildlife biologist.


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## BooksBudgies

*Hamilton & Sequoia*

Ahhh look who got to come for a visit!! Hamilton and Sequoia are staying with me for a week while their owners are on vacation. So good to see them again! They both look great and I see their owner all the time at the stable to get the updates on them. I couldn't be happier with the care they receive at their new home. Glad I won't have chicks again until August because I now have 5 budgies in my house. With chicks, it would have been out of control. I love all their noises and all the bustle, but my family isn't sold on it.

First, for those who don't remember, Ham & Quoia were some of the chicks I bred last summer (Echo's brother & sister). It's been close to a year since I've seen them in person, though I do get photos. I'm going to post their baby pictures below so you can see the comparison between then and now.

Ham:









Quoia









And now...

















It is interesting seeing the goldenface interact with their grey basecoat. Still love their pied markings! 























I had to pause a moment and remind myself that I wasn't holding Hermes! The likeness has always been astounding and it still is.









And Hamilton's adventurous spirit hasn't changed one bit. First thing he did when he was let out was explore! Loved how he found his namesake's poster (I got it autographed by the cast when I saw the show. One of my best memories)























Boy, has lil Quoia gotten bossy! She still gets along quite well with her brother though. Part of the problem is that they downgraded to a smaller cage when they were brought over as their normal cage is too large to move. Hopefully if they get enough out of cage time it'll limit the arguments.







Bad quality picture of a high quality bird. Looks like he's ready to limbo


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## RavensGryf

How sweet!  What a treat Katie, to be able to have them visit again! That’s great that you know their owner and can get updates on Hamilton and Sequoia, and that they have a good home.


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## StarlingWings

How wonderful they were back to visit again  

Both of them look great!


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## Hunterkat

Oh how sweet that they were able to visit! Hamilton does look a LOT like Hermes!


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## BooksBudgies

Sorry it's been so long since I've updated! Been crazy busy. And so has Echo:love2: Echo is quite smitten with his ladyfriend Charlie. They really seem to have stepped out of some fairytale novel. They don't fight _at all_. Like, not even a tiny squabble over food. They've been together long enough now that I would've expected something. But no, they're always grooming and feeding each other. Charlie girl is coming back into breeding condition and I hope to find her first eggo pretty quick. These pictures are from...one week? two weeks ago?
































Hermes is a little disgruntled being in a downsized cage than the one he's used to but he's doing quite well as well. I don't have any updated pictures of him right now but will have to post them soon. I have been hard at work on a website to make the whole process of adopting the chicks out easier. I'll post a link once I've finished it...I've even required potential adopters to take a survey to ensure they know everything they need to before taking their bird home. I included Talk Budgies as a resource!


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## StarlingWings

They are so cute!!! :001_wub: I'm so glad they're getting along well together  I can't believe Echo is all grown up already!


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## BooksBudgies

StarlingWings said:


> They are so cute!!! :001_wub: I'm so glad they're getting along well together  I can't believe Echo is all grown up already!


Me too! They're the sweetest. And I still can't believe Echo isn't my little chick anymore!

So Charlie and Echo are making me a little nervous as neither have actually gone in the nestbox yet...It's like they're so into each other they don't even notice their surroundings. Charlie still isn't back into full breeding condition yet (based on her cere) but she's going the right direction. Hoping once she's all sorted out things will take a more promising turn. This is so nerve-wracking since my senior project relies on them having chicks!:rip: I've been considering breeding Hermes and Izzy one last time before they get too old (they have one good year left) so I may have to bring that to fruition. Izzy's new owner already gave me permission. If Echo and Charlie don't breed, I have their chicks as a backup. Perhaps having a practiced pair will spring these two into action. Either way, I'll do what I can but I'm not ultimately in control:dunno: Crazy to think that this time last year I had chicks fledging the nest!

Anyways, enjoy a lot more pictures today of the 3 musketeers.

First, since Hermes didn't make an appearance last post, he'll get to be the first one today!
























The Sweethearts
















They're so cute- they copy each other and display all the courting behavior.
























Echo struttin' his stuff outside the cage
























Also, according to Echo, this is the best way to scratch an itch. I had no idea budgies could lay so flat out like that 
































Hmm do I also have a crested budgie on my hands?









And some single shots of Charlie girl













































Edited to add:

I think I've discovered the problem....Echo thought I just got him a new scratching tool









At least he knows it exists now. He's peeking inside and exploring so cross your fingers!


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## Hunterkat

Fingers crossed the two lovebirds decide to have chicks!


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## BooksBudgies

Hunterkat said:


> Fingers crossed the two lovebirds decide to have chicks!


I'll take all the help I can get! 

Well, I was absent for a period and seem to be making up for it now. Anyways, made a fresh batch of eggfood today and felt very proud of it so decided to post:001_rolleyes: It was quite satisfying.

Getting all the ingredients together. In this batch, I used: quinoa, flax seed, hard-boiled eggs, cucumbers, bell peppers, & carrots. Bella enjoyed munching on some of the scraps.









All mixed together









Homemade latté for me, homemade eggfood for the fids. Thought it was kind of cute that their dish looked like a mug.









Bon Appétit!






























And a couple miscellanous photos


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## StarlingWings

Looks like they loved their egg food  

Well done, Katie


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## Hunterkat

I love seeing these guys!


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## Penzance

I’ve just looked through all your pics Katie and I’m blown away! What beautiful birds in such fantastic condition and enjoying themselves. They are truly lucky to have you as a budgie mom!


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## RavensGryf

Lucky little birdies! That looks awesome Katie . Great job on that! 

Gorgeous pics of your birds as always. Bella sure is cute too! Is she a MaltiPoo by any chance?


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## BooksBudgies

StarlingWings said:


> Looks like they loved their egg food
> 
> Well done, Katie


Thank you! 



Hunterkat said:


> I love seeing these guys!


Aw, thanks! I appreciate that you follow our thread!!



Penzance said:


> I've just looked through all your pics Katie and I'm blown away! What beautiful birds in such fantastic condition and enjoying themselves. They are truly lucky to have you as a budgie mom!


Thank you!  I love them and am quite blessed to have them.



RavensGryf said:


> Lucky little birdies! That looks awesome Katie . Great job on that!
> 
> Gorgeous pics of your birds as always. Bella sure is cute too! Is she a MaltiPoo by any chance?


Haha thanks! Little Bellie is a schnoodlepoo: schnauzer x poodle = schnoodle. schnoodle x poodle = schnoodlepoo. So she's a 2nd generation schnoodle, 75% poodle 25% schnauzer...take your pick


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## BooksBudgies

I have some news! I've been giving the birds some privacy of course, but I've seen them mating over the days when I've glanced in. I've only seen Charlie in the nest once, but like I said been making myself sparse. I guess I'll know for sure if Echo & Charlie bred successfully over the next week. I'm expecting eggs next weekend so keep an eye out for a breeding journal. If they don't breed...well we'll cross that bridge when we get there. My teacher in charge of senior project thought it was hilarious that the birds were taking their sweet time while breeding.  Oh, I also have taken to misting their cages intermittently throughout the day to increase the humidity and simulate the rainy season in the wild.

They're as sweet as ever






























And some solo shots:

























*Can anyone guess which bird this is?*









Enjoying their eggfood (and some serious food face from Charlie).


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## FaeryBee

*Keeping my fingers crossed that Echo and Charlie will decide to have a family!

The beautiful black and white photo looks like a very handsome little Echo to me.*


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## Hunterkat

The black and white photo is definitely Echo! Hermes's markings extend farther down his wings


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## BooksBudgies

FaeryBee said:


> *Keeping my fingers crossed that Echo and Charlie will decide to have a family!
> 
> The beautiful black and white photo looks like a very handsome little Echo to me.*


We shall see but I certainly hope so!!

Spot on! 



Hunterkat said:


> The black and white photo is definitely Echo! Hermes's markings extend farther down his wings


Haha I should've cropped it closer to the face to make it harder. Without the pied markings on the wings, it would've been harder to tell I think. Your observation skills were put to the test and came out on top lol.


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## BooksBudgies

Haven't forgotten this thread in the midst of the new exciting breeding thread. I have plenty of pictures to go around!

Yes, Echo, I've forgiven you for not giving me cinnamon df dominant pied babies. I've not given up on him...I have my heart set on this chickies so may try to pair him either with Charlie again or another dominant pied hen next year. I'm still keeping him with Charlie but they've been without a nestbox and back on a normal diet for a couple weeks now. I think he'd be lonely by himself while Herm and Dee are in the breeding cage. Charlie and Echo haven't tried any shenanigans so the situation is working for now. 























And some solo shots of handsome (and very proud) Hermes. For those of you following the breeding thread, some of these will be duplicates

Looks like he's looking into the future here









Heh I think he likes it









Holy color batman!


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## BooksBudgies

I dunno why, but I get such satisfaction from making eggfood and have to take pictures...

This batch: quinoa, basil, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, and blueberries as a treat. The eggs and flaxseed stays the same in all the batches.


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## BooksBudgies

Everyone enjoyed a bath today! Echo and Charlie are both molting so they appreciated the relief from the itchiness!


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## FaeryBee

*The bath pictures are adorable.

I just went back through the entire thread and oohed and ahhed over all the pictures just as much as I did the first time I saw them.
Your budgies are beautiful!*


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## BooksBudgies

FaeryBee said:


> *The bath pictures are adorable.
> 
> I just went back through the entire thread and oohed and ahhed over all the pictures just as much as I did the first time I saw them.
> Your budgies are beautiful!*


Awe, that's so sweet! After you said that, I had to take a walk down memory lane and browse through all the pictures, too.  It was nice reminiscing about Echo's time as a baby boy.


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## BooksBudgies

Today's pictures are sparse, as I'm about to update both the breeding and art thread 

Why seat one when two makes so much more sense?









And look at a picture of baby Hermes I found! This was shortly after I got him.


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## FaeryBee

*Wee baby Hermes was as cute as a button!!*


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## Goldenwing

I like the picture of them both on the swing. :hug: You can tell they are friends.


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## Hunterkat

Jeez, I wish my two would share a swing! They tend to squabble over it more than anything


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## BooksBudgies

A different type of golden lighting 









Fun with fall colors
















And miss Charlie is coming out of breeding condition! Good sign they aren't going behind my back and romancing it up  I'll be sorry to see her go back to her owner in a few weeks. But feeding 9 birds certainly depletes my supply quicker than 2!


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## Hunterkat

Charlie is beautiful, I know you'll be sad to see her go! Also the picture of Echo with the light from the swing hitting him is gorgeous


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## BooksBudgies

Echo and Charlie spending some last moments together...
















The girls (Dee & Charlie) packed up and ready to go back home









Echo is a little subdued but I put his cage by Hermes' and the chicks. Soon Hermes will be moved in with him when the chicks are old enough, so all will be well


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## FaeryBee

*Great pictures!

I'm sure Echo will be happy he and Hermes are back together. *


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## BooksBudgies

Hello everyone! It's been a while since I've posted on this thread, but I'm making up for it with a _lot_ of pictures. Those of you who followed my breeding thread (https://www.talkbudgies.com/breeding-journals/403736-hermes-aphrodite.html) know that I get to keep YoYo from this clutch! He's my special boy. I named him in memory of my grandpa, who I got my love of birds from. YoYo's egg was laid the anniversary of his passing and he hatched the day before his birthday. I am very happy to be keeping him! Schuyler & Tita (2 of YoYo's siblings) were supposed to go to their new home yesterday, but something came up. So I have these 2 for another few days and for another few pictures 

Echo's first look at his half-brother









Father & 2 sons; they made a happy picture.









"You want me to do _what_?"









Echo shouldn't have worried. He's a natural model
















My boy, YoYo modeling. Hermes, Echo, & YoYo are all even now on getting featured in TB's banner 







































Schuyler was chattering to himself (I think I may have picked up on some gibberish of something that could be the start of talking)









And the moment he realized I was watching...if budgies could blush, I think he would have









Tita, told apart by his "c" of cheek patches. Now the brothers are molting, so it's harder to tell them apart!

















Echo is not accustomed to waiting...

























Success!









Poor Herm gets bossed around by every one of his chicks









Pulled out the bath for the itchy, molting birds. It was absolute chaos!

Hermes & Echo, the old pros, were going to lead the way...









...Until *whoomph* a crash landing by YoYo sent them fleeing (and splashing water onto my camera). Poor guy needs a bit more practice.









Herm peeking out to see if it's safe lol.









Aaaaand another chick takes their place









Very serious argument going on here









Echo wins









Hermes joyously takes his right at the bath once his sons were all tuckered out
















Hilarious wet birbs all around.

Skye









Echo









YoYo









Tita









Herm


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## Cody

The pictures are great, Yo-Yo looks like my guy Georgie. I love the bath pictures, they look like such little monsters when they are wet.


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## RavensGryf

They’re all such beautiful little babies Katie. I think YoYo is my favorite in terms of color. Plus his tiny little freckles are adorable!


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## FaeryBee

*I love all of the new pictures!
And, bathing budgies is always a favorite. *


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## BooksBudgies

Cody said:


> The pictures are great, Yo-Yo looks like my guy Georgie. I love the bath pictures, they look like such little monsters when they are wet.


Thank you! And haha yeah bathing pictures are my favorite.



RavensGryf said:


> They're all such beautiful little babies Katie. I think YoYo is my favorite in terms of color. Plus his tiny little freckles are adorable!


It's truly amazing the diversity in color but also in things like cheek patches!



FaeryBee said:


> *I love all of the new pictures!
> And, bathing budgies is always a favorite. *


Thanks! I always love being their professional photographer.


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## Goldenwing

Thanks for sharing! So much cuteness and silliness: Schuyler discovering you were watching, Echo trying to get some seeds too, budgies in the bath, Hermes peeking to see if it is safe. :laughing:


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## StarlingWings

What adorable new pictures :001_wub:


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## BooksBudgies

I'm afraid my older brother took the nice camera with him to college, so I've had to downgrade to my iphone for these pictures. I'm hoping to get my little point & shoot camera working again, but it may be too much effort to call it from the grave 

Poor YoYo is going through a painful molt. I've been giving him baths almost every day to relieve the itchiness. He almost went completely bald on his face before the pin feathers popped in. I'm starting to see splotches of his true color come through. I always love witnessing the goldenface transformation. 









I keep putting newspaper over the mirror on the basketball toy, but they keep tearing it off. I swear they enjoy playing that game more than they make use of the toy.









The 3 boys are getting along fabulously, though! I wasn't entirely sure if one would get left it in the odd number, but they all rotate their attention. Hermes continues to get bossed around by _both_ his sons


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## Goldenwing

I am sorry to hear about YoYo's discomfort. Still, his little spiky face is so cute! 

I have trouble with Lemon Drop liking to uncover things I have covered. She has even tried to take the sheet off of the big, beautiful wall mirror in the corner of my living room. When I put painter's tape on the trim around the windows, so she would not peck at the wood, then she had a great time ripping off the tape. I'm sure your birds think ripping things off is lots of fun.


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## FaeryBee

*Poor little YoYo. I hate when they have such miserable molts.
He's fortunate that you've been doing all you can to help relieve the itchiness.

Hermes getting bossed around by both his boys -- well, that doesn't seem fair! *


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## BooksBudgies

Goldenwing said:


> I am sorry to hear about YoYo's discomfort. Still, his little spiky face is so cute!
> 
> I have trouble with Lemon Drop liking to uncover things I have covered. She has even tried to take the sheet off of the big, beautiful wall mirror in the corner of my living room. When I put painter's tape on the trim around the windows, so she would not peck at the wood, then she had a great time ripping off the tape. I'm sure your birds think ripping things off is lots of fun.


Thankfully YoYo is just about out of his molt now! Oh, yes they have great fun tearing everything off 


FaeryBee said:


> *Poor little YoYo. I hate when they have such miserable molts.
> He's fortunate that you've been doing all you can to help relieve the itchiness.
> 
> Hermes getting bossed around by both his boys -- well, that doesn't seem fair! *


He's just too easygoing. He got bossed around by every single one of his chicks too! No respect for the elder!

I got some better pictures of the birds with a proper camera. You can really see little YoYo's colors coming through!

























Echo helping his brother with an itchy spot.









Some close-ups of Herm boy
















Showing off a tail full of colors









I think there's a secret meeting going on here...what a nice triangular shape they make 
















In other news, a pair of Great Horned Owls decided to make a nest on top of our tack room and bathroom in the indoor arena. I'm excited, don't get me wrong, but they spook the horses and are a bit creepy sometimes. I mean, these birds are _huge_ (you can see mamma on top of her nest in the second picture). Plus...you walk in to grab something and their heads turn all the way around to watch you. In the dark seeing big green eyes staring you down gets you a little fidgety. So far, they haven't been aggressive to us walking below the nest but don't want to underestimate parental instinct.
















Here's dad, who I've affectionately named "Specs" since they'll be staying with us awhile. I thought it a ****ing name for an owl after one of my new favorite Musicals, _The Newsies_.


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## StarlingWings

Those are some wonderful new pictures! I love the close ups of Hermes  

I love the owls, too


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## FaeryBee

*Great pictures of the boys.

I love great horned owls! 
It must be very strange seeing those eyes staring at you in the dark though. 
Hopefully they won't spook the horses too much. Isn't it odd they chose that area to build a nest?*


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## Goldenwing

Thanks for sharing the pictures! You got some great photos of your little guys. I also enjoyed the owl pictures.


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## BooksBudgies

Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about the thread for my boys in the midst of my other art and horse ones.

My floor is constantly covered with feathers since they've all been molting. It never ceases to amaze me how completely the color change takes over with the goldenface mutation. YoYo looks so different! He's riding on the cusp of adulthood.
















As always, everyone enjoyed their bathtime.































I swear, this is the exact same pose
















Waiting in line









YoYo doesn't jump in with as much gusto as the other two...in fact, he mostly gets wet only when he clumsily falls in  He chases away Echo or Hermes then lands right in.









Hermes is always my most dependable model


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## Cody

Cute pictures, interesting change in YoYo, in looking at his baby pictures I never would have thought he would be green as an adult.


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## StarlingWings

They're precious   So glad they're doing well


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## Hunterkat

Aww little YoYo is so grown up now!!


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## FaeryBee

*The bath time pictures are super!*


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## BooksBudgies

Thought it was time for some new pictures of the Budgie Boys 

YoYo standing tall









He's got a lot of color going on in his tail!









Mister Echo
















And, following the trend of youngest to oldest (sorry bud) Hermes!


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## FaeryBee

*Yaayy! :happy4:

I've missed seeing Hermes, Echo and YoYo.
Love the new pictures - thanks for the update.*


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## StarlingWings

They're precious! It's so great to see them


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## BooksBudgies

*Some Visitors!*

I have some special visitors making an appearance today!

Hamilton & Sequoia are staying with me again while their family is out of town. I always love having them!

Mr. Ham









He still has a hard time standing still for photos. Some things never change 









Brother and sister enjoying the chance to explore







































It warms my heart to see the family reunited again! Just to recap: Hermes is the father of all these birds. Ham, Quoia, and Echo are full siblings. YoYo is their half-sibling.









YoYo wasn't quite sure how he felt about the newcomers. He'd never met them before today.









And here are some of the wonderful Pelicans I enjoyed watching in California. Some landed on the pier within touching distance.


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## FaeryBee

*It's great you are able to care for Hamilton and Sequoia when their adoptive family is out of town! I'm sure all the birdies enjoyed getting reacquainted.*


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## BooksBudgies

*Update*

Well, college is the #1 breakup for girls and their pets. I left home about 2 weeks ago and am absolutely loving it in college, but my dorm room is very quiet without all my budgie boys. They all went to good new homes and I can visit them/pet sit them in the future. For this reason, I will keep this thread open so I can continue to post updates. My hope is to take them back home with me as soon as I'm done with college and am able to house pets once more. This feels like I long ways away, but I know it'll go fast!

Hermes & YoYo are going to the same home! The amazing family I found for Hamilton and Sequoia agreed to take these two as well, so it was good they got reacquainted at my house!
















Settled in at their new home. I sent the big cage home with them, so that's familiar at least.









Mister Echo went to the same breeder that I got hens from during my senior project. She's consulting with me to pair him with the right hen. I want to see some cinnamon chicks out of this boy! He has such an extensive list of mutations he's expressing, split for, or carrying so I'm glad that'll be put to use.


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## FaeryBee

*I'm sure that parting with your boys was very difficult when you left for college. It's great you'll be able to visit them and pet-sit for them in the future and I hope you'll be able to get them back once your time at school is complete.*


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## BooksBudgies

I wanted to share an update on the Budgie Boys with all of you!

Hermes and Yo-Yo are still splendidly happy in their new home with Hamilton and Sequoia. I was hoping I would see them this summer when I was going to pet sit, but with COVID limiting so much travel I don't see that happening any time soon. However, I have some pictures from their owner (who I see almost daily at the stable)! I'll share them below.

I don't have any new pictures of Echo, but I'm told he has a pretty serious girlfriend. I gave him to a breeding home since his genetics were too good to waste. He and his mate did have eggs a few months back, but they were infertile. The pair is still resting until they try again in another few months. If or when they have chicks, I'll post it here. I keep in touch with his new owner (and breeder) so I get plenty of updates!

My room has certainly been quiet without the happy gibberish from my birds, but I'm thrilled they're getting such great care while I go to college! Really, it's the best situation I could hope for.

Hermes with his daughter, Sequoia









All 4 back together (can you see the family resemblance? )









As you can see, they have a very nice bird room


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## Cody

Good to see them again, I love the second picture with all their backs to the camera.


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## StarlingWings

Katie, I'm so glad you're able to get regular updates on all of them! They all seem to be doing really well; it's good to see them again. Thank you for posting the new pics! :yes: :blush:


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## FaeryBee

*Thanks for the update! It was great to see your flock again. :hug:*


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