“Did you hear the buzzing drone, Squeaks?” asked Momanita.
Momanita pulled off the blue night cover from my rolly nest.
“I didn’t hear anything because I WAS sleeping.”
To other hootmans this sounded like squeals and whistles, but not to Momanita. She MOSTLY understood cockatiel speak. I MOSTLY understood hootman talk.
“It’s gone now,” said Momanita.
“Maybe we could BOTH go back to sleep.”
“Someone flew a drone over the lake,” said Momanita. “My friend, Scott, has a drone. It’s fun to operate and watch the video recording.”
I fluffed and climbed down from my roosting perch to the snack perch. Momanita was NOT going back to sleep.
“I wonder what else drones can do,” said Momanita.
I snatched the cornflake snack between my toes and nibbled. There wasn’t much time to sleep or eat when Momanita wondered.
When Momanita wondered, she thought of questions.
When she thought of questions, she looked for answers.
When she looked for answers, she needed my help.
“Maybe we should research drones and robots to find out,” said Momanita.
“Maybe we should finish a snack and go back to sleep.”
I knew when to give up. I climbed out of my rolly cage into my writing nest. Momanita climbed the stairs to HER writing nest. She scooted her chair to the computer and tapped the keyboard. I perched on top the writing nest and thought about drones.
“Drones are more than toys, Squeaks,” said Momanita. “They’re solutions to problems.”
Busy As A Bee
“Scientists all over the world developed small drones, called Robot Bees, to pollinate crops,” said Momanita. “There are fewer hives and bees because of disease and climate change. Farmers worry that their crops won’t be fertilized. Then there wouldn’t be enough food.”
“I heard a pod cast about bees dying.”
Bees pollinate millet. I LOVE millet.
This WAS a problem.
Photo by Phil Mitchell on Pexels.com
“The Robot Bees fly from flower to flower and spread pollen,” read Momanita. “Then the fruits and nuts grow so we could eat pears and almonds.”
“Millet, too, right? The fake bees won’t forget about the millet.”
“In Australia, Robot Bees pollinate crops that grow in greenhouses. Using them outside is more difficult.”
“Maybe WE could grow millet in case there’s a shortage. We could plant a patch by the pond. Better yet, we can plant millet seeds in pots. They would fit inside on the window sill near my rolly nest. Are Robot Bees sold on Amazon?”
I didn’t think Momanita heard me, because she researched a different kind of working drone.
A Bird In The Hand
“The Robird flies with flapping wings like a real bird,” said Momanita.
“I’m a real bird. I flap my wings, but can’t fly.”
I hurt my wings before Momanita found me. Now they won’t lift me when I flap them. It’s my disability. Momanita stroked my crest and rubbed my neck. She knew that I wished I could fly, but never would. I don’t feel sorry for myself. I thought about what I CAN do like climb and walk and write. I did all those well- especially writing.
“The Robird flies like a hawk,” read Momanita.
“Terror birds! Hawks and owls and falcons scare me!”
“A Robird is used to scare other birds away from airports where they might cause an accident,” explained Momanita.
“Maybe a Robird would scare squirrels.”
Squirrels were sneaky. They stole sunflower seeds from cardinal’s bird feeder. I didn’t trust squirrels.
“Maybe WE could buy a Robird to chase the squirrels away.”
I didn’t think Momanita heard me, because she researched a different kind of robot.
Top Dog
“Aibo is a robot dog,” said Momanita. “It acts like a pet.”
“Maggie and Zoey, the Shedogs, are visiting pet dogs.”
I’m Momanita’s pet. I liked when the Shedogs visited. I also liked when they left to go home.
“Aibo chases balls, barks, and learns trick,” read Momanita. “It is curious.”
“Zoey chases balls. Maggie barks when she wants ham.”
Sometimes the Shedogs were TOO curious. When they sniffed around my rolly nest, I climbed to my roosting perch.
“Although Aibo is a toy,” explained Momanita, “it is a toy that’s a companion.”
I thought about Zoey plopping the ball in Momanita’s lap and Maggie stealing Mike’s socks. Then both of them snuggled on the couch.
I didn’t think we needed Robot Bees or Robirds or Aibo.
The Real Thing
“Drones and robots are important, but not as important as the real thing,” said Momanita. “I think we should write about the joys of having live pets and hearing the happy humming of actual bees and watching the soaring of hawks, Squeaks,” said Momanita.
“I agree, but let’s watch the terror birds from a distance.”
I scrambled up Momanita’s arm to her shoulder and dictated my post.
To other hootmans this sounded like squeals and whistles, but not to Momanita. She MOSTLY understood cockatiel speak. I MOSTLY understood hootman talk.
Check out Momanita’s book, OPERATION HOPPER on Amazon.
Momanita and I read about drones. You might want to read more about them, too.
Anita Borgo 