Today was a particularly lovely one. The temperature was in the high 60s or maybe 70 at most and there was a good breeze all day. I decided to do a couple hour hike at Biltmore with Abner and on our way back to the lagoon we encountered this man and his Blue Macaw named Abou. She is three years old and very well trained. She and Abner got along famously.
Abner was really smitten with this bird. All he did was sniff her very gently and carefully. She seemed pretty comfortable with the whole encounter and Abner was just delighted. He had never been this close to any bird before, let alone one this big or exotic. The owner told us that she will probably live to be around 85 years old. I trust he has made arrangements for her in his will.