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First cyclist heatwave victim: Floyd the African Grey parrot
Bereft of life...
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The first bike casualty of the summer heat is an African Grey parrot who was found dead on an East Yorkshire beach after flying away from his owner as the two rode along the cliffs at Hornsea last week.
Floyd the parrot was on a weekend trip to the seaside with his owner John Morgan. He was perched on John's shoulder when he unexpectedly took off and headed for the beach.
John spent several days searching for Floyd to no avail. On Saturday Humberside police called him to say that a dead parrot had been found on the beach at Hornsea.
John told the Hull Daily Mail: "I've no doubt Floyd would have died from dehydration. Parrots are used to the heat, but they need a good supply of fresh water. Floyd had fresh water twice a day."
For nine years, John and Floyd had been constant companions.
"Floyd used to stay put when I put him on my shoulder," he said. "He never flew off. He was like a child. A companion, night and day."
John was not worried when Floyd initially went missing.
He said: "I was cycling along with Floyd on my shoulder. Something spooked him. He made straight for the beach. As far as I could see, nothing could have hurt him, so I wasn't really that concerned at that point.
"I cycled back to the caravan to fetch a lock so I could lock my bike up while I looked for him. I also needed to change into a pair of boots.
"I called his name and Floyd came straight back. I gave him a good talking to and he said, 'Come on, let's do the washing-up' – that was the last thing Floyd said to me.
"For no apparent reason, he just took off again and headed for the cliffs."
John searched the cliffs thoroughly, even poking a stick into cavities in case the parrot had crawled in, and using a rope to climb down.
"I searched high and low but there was just no sign of him," he said.
Preventing dehydration
While it's sadly hard for an African Grey parrot to order a glass of ice water in a pub, preventing dehydration and its associated discomfort is fairly easy for cyclists.
"Drink when you feel thirsty," says coach Dave Smith of ffflow.com. "Thirst is the biggest symptom of dehydration. A sticker on your stem can act as a reminder."
We've recently been experimenting with carrying an insulated second bottle, full of ice cubes, along with a first bottle with iced water. Because they are surrounded by air, the cubes in the insulated bottle melt very slowly, so they are there to chill your water when you stop to fill your second bottle.
RIP Floyd.
As president of a club named after a bird, we feel the mans pain.
posted by jonnycondor [10 posts]
23rd July 2013 - 12:46
"This parrots dead."
"No it's not it's just sleeping"
Couldn't resist
RIP Floyd
posted by usedtobefaster [145 posts]
23rd July 2013 - 13:16
Rumour has it that Floyd cracked under pressure. He was trying to become yellow or at least polka red.
posted by vasgko2 [23 posts]
23rd July 2013 - 18:09
those birds live a long time. I'm a dog person but I knew parrot people and I don't underestimate how much this guy means it when he says Floyd was like a child. My parrot friends went through divorce after 10 years and the battle for the parrots was like children (even though they were childless) They have joint custody now and these parrots will live for 45 years...
posted by TeamCC [146 posts]
23rd July 2013 - 20:57
So Humberside police don't suspect fowl play?
Quote: "We've recently been experimenting with carrying an insulated second bottle, full of ice cubes"..... BRAIN FREEZE ON A BIKE!!!!
posted by Bing Bell [8 posts]
23rd July 2013 - 21:18
Awful. I've been to Hornsea. They have my sympathies.
Silly me. You're probably right....
posted by MercuryOne [1221 posts]
24th July 2013 - 7:57


text:
Chicken and Cheese Sliders
- Vegetable oil cooking spray
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1/2 medium red onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 bone-in skinless chicken breast (about 6 ounces)
- 1/2 cup store-bought barbecue sauce
- 1/4 can (7 ounces) chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 8 small whole-wheat buns (such as Pepperidge Farm Wheat Sliders)
- 1/2 cup grated aged cheddar
- 8 cherry tomatoes, sliced
- 2 cups sprouts (such as arugula or broccoli)
Coat a medium saucepan with cooking spray. Cook bell pepper, onion and garlic in pan over medium heat, stirring, 3 minutes. Add chicken, barbecue sauce, chipotles and 1/4 cup water; cover and simmer until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°:F, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove chicken from sauce; place on a plate to cool for 5 minutes. Use a fork to pull meat off bone and shred; return meat to pan and toss to coat with sauce. Heat oven to 400°F. Open buns and set on a baking sheet covered with foil. Distribute chicken evenly among bottom half of each bun (about 2 tablespoons per bun); top each with 2 tablespoons cheese. Bake until cheese melts and bubbles, 4 to 5 minutes. Top with tomatoes, sprouts and bun cap; serve immediately.
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