I am writing to parrotalert with my news about Georgie in the hope that it will encourage fellow bird lovers who have lost their beloved pet, to never lose hope that they too might find their bird.

Georgie flew out of our open door during our house move on 12th June 2009. For the next two weeks I and various members of my family, trudged our local streets at dawn and at dusk calling her name, and knocking on doors surrounding the immediate area where we heard her responses. Although we moved house 6 or 7 miles away, we occasionally returned, still calling out her name and on occasion, still hearing her familiar shriek. Many residents told us they regularly feed the wild birds, and as their gardens contained numerous evergreen trees and bushes, I was confident that she would survive even that last terrible winter. A number of the gardens were inaccessible due to their very private occupiers.

September of this year 2010, my daughter drove me over to the area when I heard mechanical diggers in one of those "private" gardens. I remarked "Oh no, if Georgie HAS nested in there then the machines will have spooked her and she will move on/away."

Around 4 weeks later, Oct. 22nd my husband and I hand delivered a number of letters in the surrounding homes (again!) reminding the residents about Georgie and my contact details. Tuesday evening 26th one of them rang to say she had been at the local Vet on the previous Thursday, heard a bird chirping away and was told it was a cockatiel that had been found on the road just two streets away from those gardens and that they had her for 3 weeks.

The lady had gone away for the weekend and did not read my letter until that following Tuesday when she rang me.

When my husband and I went to the Vets clinic we were told the bird had been re-homed just a couple of days before, to a friend of the vets nurse who was very objectionable about allowing us the opportunity to see if it was indeed OUR bird.

After we wrote to her boss the senior Vet, HE arranged for the bird to return to his clinic where we positively identified her as our Georgie and subsequently brought her home on Friday 5th November 2010.

16 months and 3 weeks living rough had taken it's toll on her feathers and general condition, but after initial care at the Vets clinic and further attention with mite spray, conditioning medication in her drinking water, and lashings of TLC from us, she is recovering well and making herself heard again. She's forgotten much that we had taught her, but remembered some things/tunes/articles.

The vet confirmed that SHE is actually a HE, but I hope Georgie's story will inspire others to continue their search and never give up hope.

Kind regards

Ms. Frances Courtney (UK) and family, and of course Georgie!