I was just eight-years-old, looking up at the clouds, when Asa Calhoun became my one true love. He was my brother's best friend. He was stoic and solemn, and always believed everything in life had to be perfect. But I saw past his eccentric mannerisms. I found him fascinating.I was seventeen when I had my debutante ball. Throughout the years, there was a gradual shift between us. I stopped being the little sister he's always known me as and transformed into a lady. By the end of that night, he found me fascinating.I was twenty-one when he first kissed me. My one true love became my soulmate. I was certain nothing would ever come between us.I married at twenty-three. But I wasn't Mrs. Asa Calhoun. At the time I believed it was for the best, leaving Belgrave and my memories of Asa behind.I was twenty-eight when my husband died. The pain was swift and sharp. I saw what could have been and all that I let go of. Including Asa.Nearly seven months later I'm back in Charleston, because six years of a broken heart is too much for anyone to endure.Asa once told me he would always be my home, but will he still mean those words when I walk through the church doors and object to his marriage?
At last - the definitive guide! Gouldian Finches are the most colorful birds on the planet. This book is packed with everything about keeping Gouldians, including current advice on: How to keep Gouldians in TOP condition What kind of cage suits their needs and won't break your wallet What diet will keep your bird healthiest How to breed Gouldians successfully, even if you never have before Recognizing and dealing with illness, egg binding, and injuries How to hand-feed baby birds effectively What other birds are compatible with Gouldians All about genetics and the Gouldian finch What one illness is most prevalent and how to prevent it Preventive care for finches Best online sources for healthy foods And that's just the start. Each chapter displays a list of 10 FAST FACTS for those who need information in a hurry. Over 30 full-color photos. Plus, the author has provided a BONUS PDF download on her website www.GouldianGardens.com with plenty of related material.
“Michele Raffin has made an important contribution to saving endangered birds, and her book is a fascinating and rarely seen glimpse behind the scenes. The joy she gets from her close relationships with these amazing animals and her outsized commitment to them comes through loud and clear in this engaging and joyful book.” —Dominick Dorsa, Curator of Birds, San Francisco Zoo Each morning at first light, Michele Raffin awakens to the bewitching music that heralds another day at Pandemonium Aviaries—a symphony that swells from the most vocal of over 350 avian throats representing over 40 species. “It knocks me out, every day,” she admits. Pandemonium Aviaries is a conservation organization dedicated to saving and breeding birds at the edge of extinction, including some of the largest populations of rare species in the world. And their behavior is even more fascinating than their glorious plumage or their songs. They fall in love, they mourn, they rejoice, they sacrifice, they have a sense of humor, they feel jealous, they invent, plot, cope, and sometimes they murder each other. As Raffin says, “They teach us volumes about the interrelationships of humans and animals.” Their stories make up the heart of this book. There’s Sweetie, a tiny quail with an outsize personality; the inspiring Oscar, a Lady Gouldian finch who can’t fly but finds a way to reach the highest perches of his aviary to roost. The ecstatic reunion of a disabled Victoria crowned pigeon, Wing, and her brother, Coffee, is as wondrous as the silent kinship that develops between Amadeus, a one-legged turaco, and an autistic young visitor. Ultimately, The Birds of Pandemonium is about one woman’s crusade to save precious lives, bird by bird, and offers insights into how following a passion can transform not only oneself but also the world. “Delightful . . . full of wonderful accounts of bird behavior, demonstrating caring, learning, sociability, adaptability, and a will to live. Its appeal is ageless, her descriptions riveting, and her devotion to the birds remarkable.” —Joanna Burger, author of The Parrot Who Owns Me: The Story of a Relationship “A remarkable book. Reading about the birds of Pandemonium will make you laugh and cry; it will make you see more clearly the need to take care of our planet; and it will confirm that one person with a passion can make a difference.” —Jeff Corwin, nature conservationist and host, Animal Planet “The Birds of Pandemonium touched me deeply . . . This book is about reconnecting with the nature of birds, and the nature of ourselves.” —Jon Young, author of What the Robin Knows
Stewart Evans and Mike Fidler, with input by Dr Stacey Gelis, Russell Kingston, Dr Debra McDonald, David Myers and Sarah Pryke, have combined to produce the definitive work on what is arguable the world's most beautiful and popular passerine. With 240 pages and over 100 colour plates, this book, based on many years of research and experience, is a wealth of information, covering the species in the wild and of the breeding in captivity, health and diseases, nutrition, ultraviolet vision, mutations and genetics and much more. Case bound and finished in hard cover with gold leaf, this quality piece will be highly sought after for decades to come.
If you are thinking of bringing home a beautiful, honey-voiced Gouldian Finch, then you should know that the birds are a big responsibility. Although they are small in size, these birds require just as much care as any other species of birds that are kept as pets. Gouldian Finches are extremely colorful birds, which has earned them the name, Rainbow Finch. These birds also go by the name of Lady Gouldian. Before you decide to bring a Gouldian Finch home, learning as much as you can about the bird will do you a lot of good. This will help you understand specific needs of the bird and provide for the bird as needed. This book is ideal for beginners in the world of Finches. It takes you through everything that you need to know about Gouldian Finches including: - Cage requirements - Diet - Grooming - Healthcare for the birds - Natural history of the bird - Personality of these birds - Safety of the birds - The right source to get the bird - Tips to help the bird settle into your home - Training There is a lot more information that will also help you decide if, in fact, the Gouldian Finch is the right bird for your home or not.
Friendly advice on proper finch care Of all the birds kept as pets-16.5 million in American homes-none are as widely diversified as finches, which hail from nearly every corner of the globe. This fun, practical guide provides finch owners and those deciding if they want to bring a finch into their home with expert guidance in raising this delightful bird. It covers choosing the right species of finch, health care, housing and supplies, feeding, training, and how to have fun and maintain the best relationship with a finch.
