I'm feeling pretty sad today, as our pet cockatiel, Percy, got out and flew away yesterday, as Jill was packing the car to go away for a few days. Easily enough done, as he could be sneaky: in the past, I've walked out the door with a bag of garbage and found him sitting on me!

Apparently, he flew up, up, into the sky, and then away.

Percy was talkative, and a brilliant whistler, so I'd taught him a few tunes, and he was also handtamed and liked to be tickled. Cockatiels are wonderful birds, but I suspect he was one of the best!

I'm missing him a lot, as he would usually be around when I was scripting or drawing (like most of our pets, he had the run of the house most of the time). He'd often be chewing the corner of my drawing board (or my pencil if I let him), or be perched somewhere close by, if not off visiting in the rabbit and guineapig cage.

The children are very sad and will really miss him when they get back.

I've put ads everywhere I can think of, and contacted various appropriate organisations. If you're in the Melbourne area and a talkative grey cockatiel turns up, then you know who to contact!