I think Sandy and I have mentioned Chester, our African Gray parrot, we got
a few months ago?  Well, Chester has been an unusual learning experience.  I
was thinking this evening about him and how he acted when I was in the
hospital for four days.  When I came home, I went to his cage to talk to
him.  He recognized me the minute I walked through the door and started
whistling at me.  When we first got him, every time I walked by his cage, I
stuck my fingers through the bars.  He would climb over and grab one of my
fingers with his beak and shake his head up and down real fast like he was
shaking hands or something.  Well, he rarely does that now so I just figured
he grew out of it because we got him when he was 4 months old.  He is 8
months old now.  Anyhow, when I stuck my fingers in the cage when coming
home from the hospital, Chester grabbed my finger and shook it again.  I
have often wondered, since we got him, what parrots are good for out in the
jungles but I bet God knows.  Chester hasn't quite said his first words,
although some noises he makes sure sound like words, but they say it can be
a year or longer before they start talking.  Vicki doesn't know this yet but
the other night they were over, and her husband, John, started making a
sound while talking to Chester and the old bird, Chester I mean, John is an
old bird, too but of a different type, has begun today making that same
noise.

Phil.