Casper and Friends Aviary

As if to follow through on my intrigue at bird watching, my friends decided to pass by this little aviary with a twist, still in the Balanga area before heading out to lunch at an equally intriguing place (but that's my next topic). Casper and Friends is not your usual aviary put up or sponsored by rich folks who can buy this and that bird to wow us. This one is some kind of a hospital or rescue center for birds that may have otherwise been left to oblivion.

Owner of the house (and the aviary, of course) Dannie Brimmer, is a retired US Marine married to a Filipina who hails from the area. Quite a story and he never tires retelling them to visitors many times a day. The good thing about their little yard is it shows genuine love and care for wild birds. They voraciously want folks to come by, not to earn from them, but in the hope that we the visitors will in some way some time spread the word that we need to take care of our wildlife.

There is a story in each of the animals to be found at Casper and Friends Aviary. While most of them maybe healthy looking, none will be in perfect shape. Those birds are at the aviary for a single reason, to recuperate as Dan Brimmer tends to them. When they do get healthy enough to be set freem its bye-bye time to the aviary as Casper and Friends indeed make every effort to release them in their natural habitats – hopefully not so you or your fathers can come to gun them down… again.

You see that happy parrot? The upper portion of its beak has been chopped off when it was ran-over by a car. Yes, nagasagasaan so says my nephew! Bird was probably too weak to fly then, having been captive and improperly cared of. At least the upper palate, if we can call it that, is still intact so the mouth seems still whole. I don't know if it still can breathe well, I think it does, but there must be something that that lost part of the beak is used for in his birdie life?

Quite a meaningful visit. I think we need more of these.