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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend July 8, 2005 Patty Lemaire is a local breeder of Solomon eclectus parrots such as this 6-year-old male named Mango. A lost eclectus named Arnold has been seen flying in Phoenix. Mail Tribune / Roy Musitelli Two wings and a prayer Seen in the skies above Phoenix, Arnold the parrot has his owners hopeful of a reunion By BUFFY POLLOCK for the Mail Tribune If you see a large green parrot soaring over the treetops of the Bear Creek Greenway near Phoenix, offer him something to eat and be sure to ask if his name is Arnold. The 4-year-old Solomon eclectus is mostly bright green with blue and red feathers under his wings and is similar in size to a blue and gold macaw. Arnold, who refers to most humans as "funny guy," disappeared from his home on Medford’s Oakdale Avenue more than a year ago but has been sighted in recent weeks flying near La Clinica del Valle and the Glenwood Mobile Home Estates in Phoenix. Patty Lemaire, the Medford breeder who raised the feisty feathered fellow from egghood, has been working with members of the Northwest Bird Club to bring Arnold to safety — or at least get some closure if he’s already found it on his own. A breeder of a half-dozen varieties of parrots, Lemaire is known by friends as "the parrot whisperer" and figures she could capture Arnold if given the chance. Advertisement "I raised him from an egg," she noted. "He’s just a really sweet boy � and birds remember." Lemaire sold Arnold and a female eclectus named Ruby to another family. Once Arnold escaped last June, however, Ruby became noisy and distraught without her pal and was returned. Any bird raised by hand, said Lemaire, and unaccustomed to finding food on his own would be lucky to survive more than a week or two. "When I found out he’d gotten out, I was heartbroken. And of course I figured he’d only last a couple weeks," she said. "Somebody had to be feeding wild birds � the best I can figure is he found a place to hide out, like a little shed or somewhere." Bird club member Kathy Carroll suggested Arnold has survived because of his size and continues to live on berries and water from Bear Creek. "Until now he’s probably been able to forage along the Greenway and stay alive," Carroll said. Both Lemaire and Carroll, a Phoenix resident and bird "foster parent," worry that as summer fades to fall, Arnold’s chances — if he’s still roaming free — may grow slim. Anyone who finds Arnold but can’t bear the thought of giving him up wouldn’t have to, said the women, who’ve advertised Arnold on Medford’s freecycle Web site ( www.freecycle.org ). "If he’s out there and somebody sees him, if they could call Patty or I right away, we could make fast tracks over there and try to coax Arnold down," Carroll said. "We think we’d have a pretty good chance. "And if somebody has already caught Arnold, and he’s in a home, we would just like to know. We just want peace of mind that Arnold is not out there and needing help. We love this bird and it bothers us constantly to wonder if he’s getting enough food and is he safe." Parrot Patrol If you’ve seen Arnold or have information on his whereabouts, contact Patty Lemaire at 618-8441 or Kathy Carroll at 778-3431. Buffy Pollock is a free-lance writer living in Medford. E-mail her at [email protected]. Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker dvd-r Distance Education Computer Security Ztech Media Hosting Sports Equipment Student Loans Online Pharmacy tcg student loan consolidation Online Casino Reviews Myspace Home Equity Loans Windermere Van Vleet Deep Muscle Stimulator Discount Hotel Reservations Southern Oregon Loans Online Casino News Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Salvia Divinorum Online Casino Advertisement s