Seeing a large blue and gold parrot lounging in a tree in Clarkston would cause anyone to rub their eyes.
Abbey Podbielski and her family did just that feeling when they discovered a Blue and Gold Macaw high up in a 50-foot oak tree on their Independence Township lot Oct. 1.
‘Never in our wildest dreams had we thought we’d see a tropical bird; we usually just see plenty of hawks and owls,? said Abbey’s mother, Valerie, who thought their 10-acre wooded lot may have enticed the bird to land.
The cawing sound of the parrot woke Abbey’s father, Jim, who initially saw the bird in the tree before it flew off. Interested by the sighting, Abbey, 12, and a pet-owner herself, scoured the property unsuccessfully until finally finding the Macaw again in a tree while shooting baskets.
Using a soft voice similar to one she might might use with her pet horse, Abbey was able to talk the Macaw down branch by branch until it settled next to her.
After gaining parrot’s trust by feeding her bananas and nuts, Abbey guided it into a cage. With no idea about the ownership of the bird they would later know as Babe, the Podbielski’s had to leave and go take pictures of their son Aaron, who was gathering with friends prior to CHS’s homecoming.
While telling the story to Aaron, one of his friends overheard and recalled seeing a ‘missing? poster for a similar bird while getting a haircut at a nearby salon. The Podbielski’s drove to the business, grabbed the poster and alerted the frantic owner.
The owner, Michael Bridgers of Clarkston, came over immediately upon hearing about Babe’s discovery, not even taking the time to put on shoes.
‘It was total elation when Sandi Mink (Bridgers? friend) got the call. I came with messed-up hair and without shoes in the grubby clothes I had on,? said Bridgers.
Bridgers had owned Babe for 2? years after receiving her from Sandi as a Christmas gift in 2002.
‘I thought I’d never see her again with all the hawks and bad weather,? said Bridgers, who felt devastated when Babe disappeared.
Despite Bridgers feelings of hopelessness, Mink and her daughter Melissa created posters and posted them all over Independence Township.
‘I was praying it would work out like this. I knew if someone saw her in their backyard, they’d know she was someone’s pet,? said Mink.
About six days earlier, Bridgers was walking with Babe on his shoulder outside, as was habit, and she flew off, landing on a nearby condo. Shortly afterwards, she flew from there vanishing for nearly a week.
Bridgers said Babe must have been in bad shape to cooperate and interact with someone else, because Macaws, who live for 70 or 80 years, mate for life and establish a relationship with one human; often wanting nothing to do with anyone else.
This is not the first time Babe was rescued however. Bridgers saved the 3?,-year-old Macaw from a breeder in Missouri. Bridgers was researching birds for his gift from Sandi when he chose Babe when he found her in horrible conditions.
‘I drove 12 hours to get her. She was the runt of the bunch and not being treated well by the owners, so I had to get her out of there,? said Bridgers.
Feeling eternally grateful Bridgers said Sandi, her daughter, who put up the fliers, and Abbey were true heroes. He plans to give Abbey a reward for finding his feathered friend.
Unfortunately, according to Bridgers, Babe was not herself after the trip. The usually talkative, riotous bird who constantly wanted attention did not speak much after the event.
As of Oct. 10 Babe was beginning to feel better and gradual started to talk more according to Mink.