Here in Rindge, you never quite know what kind of creature you might happen upon on any given day. I recently experienced a moment of hysteria after coming across a rather large and seemingly agitated water snake on a pond-side hiking trail. Last week, I was awoken by a frightening screeching and spotted the squiggly up and down motions of a fisher as it sprinted across our driveway.
And there have been more-pleasing sights, such as when I found neighborhood horses who had gotten loose grazing in our yard.
Nope, you never know what you’ll see, although I feel I can safely say I never would expect to find a parakeet out and about in these parts. I actually don’t think anyone would expect that. But for Asa Boisvert and his friends, that is exactly the creature they met on Mountain Road over in Rindge recently.
“We were at a barbecue and the bird flew down and then landed under my friend’s farmer’s porch.” Boisvert tells me. He was able to approach and pick up the vibrant yellow, green and blue-feathered parakeet, which he placed in a carrier he and his girlfriend keep in their vehicle. Boisvert and his girlfriend try to help injured or lost animals they find, sometimes bringing them to Winchester Wildlife Rehabilitation Director Deb Gode for her to care for and, when appropriate, release back into the wild.
“We put him in the garage where it was quieter, so it wouldn’t be too stressed out.” Boisvert explained.
All I can think in learning of Boisvert’s encounter is “This is one lucky bird.” Pet parakeets, also known as budgies, won’t fare well for long in the wild, and Boisvert’s instincts about keeping the bird calm were spot-on. My family has its own lime green budgie – one I immediately checked in on once I heard about Boisvert’s rescue – and we’ve become very familiar with the environmental and emotional sensitives of these little guys.
Post-rescue, Boisvert did some local outreach to see if he could reunite the bird with its owner, including posting on local Facebook pages and reaching out to Rindge Animal Control Officer Larry Harris. The next call would have been to Gode, but Harris was able to take the bird and find it a temporary home while the owner was sought out.
I followed up with the Rindge Police Department about the rescued parakeet. It sounds like the bird is doing well, and, absent the owner coming forward, will be adopted soon.
Thank you to Asa Boisvert and his girlfriend for taking care of this little budgie, and to Rindge Animal Control for helping to find it a home.
Coming up in Rindge
Summer Reading Programs – School’s out, and it’s time for summer reading! Ingalls Memorial Library is holding its Summer Reading Program kickoffs this week, with the children’s program “Oceans of Possibility” kicking off June 21 at 3 p.m. with a puppet show, and the teen program kicking off June 28 at 4 p.m. at the Meeting House with the guest speaker, author Maeve Ronan, conducting a confidence workshop.
Family Fun Festival – Come celebrate Independence Day on the Rindge Common July 1 at 5 p.m. The Rindge Family Fun Festival is back on the Town Common, with food, games and prizes for children, live music and, of course, fireworks by Atlas Pyrotechnics. Many local groups and individuals have made this event possible this year, and we thank them all. Such a fun event!
Farmers’ and crafters’ market – This wholesome weekly market is set up in the West Rindge Common Park every Thursday from 3 to 6 p.m. A wonderful way to spend a midweek afternoon, with a small playground for children and the goods of local farmers and crafters on sale.
To share your stories, contact me at rindgecommcorr@yahoo.com.