Parakeet Landing is a special exhibit at Reptileland this summer. In previous summers, they hosted butterflies in the aviary. We got there by walking through the Reptile House and passing in through a few doors. The parakeets (also known as budgies) were chattering as they perched around the aviary. Some were up in the trees, others were out on the ledges. They were beautiful colors - white, blue, yellow, green. Sometimes, they flew past us in a whirl of wings and chirping. They seemed pretty happy!
We got seed sticks from one of the employees and the budgies came to eat from them. Dad had a pretty blue bird and I attracted a canary-yellow one. Mom also fed some of the birds that were sitting in the nearby branches. The birds were very content to sit and eat the seeds off of the sticks - except when other parakeets squawked and tried to take their place!
Budgies are native to Australia. It's hard to imagine that these colorful birds would be seen out in your backyard!
The day we visited also happened to be the 50th birthday of a tortoise named Al. The keepers had made him a birthday cake with carrot and seed candles and a hibiscus flower. We got there just in time to celebrate and sang happy birthday with all the other visitors. The tortoise didn't hesitate, but went right for the hibiscus :3 nom nom nom. hehe!
I had a wonderful time with Mom and Dad in Williamsport :) I'm glad that I can be home to enjoy experiences like these with them! I hope we can visit the parakeets again sometime. Until then, bye bye, budgies~
