Birds of a Feather
It has been a while since I’ve been able to add to this blog. Primarily due to a 9-month long camper warranty repair ordeal. To fully document the horror story of an unscrupulous RV dealer, and a manufacturer who is either totally inept or just downright dishonest would consume this entire site.
However, the end result is a newer better travel trailer. For its maiden voyage, we select a 4-hour voyage to Pigeon Forge Tennessee.
Pigeon Forge / Gatlinburg is an unashamedly tacky tourist mecca. I love seeing the usual miles of T-Shirt shops, fudgeries, candy shops, mini-golf courses, and go-kart tracks. Add in Comedy barns, magic shows, and Dollywood and you’ve got an all-out assault on the weary tourist senses.
But today’s adventure is a bit off the beaten path and a little more serene, Parrot Mountain and the Garden of Eden. As a surprise to me, Ainslie finds this little hidden gem which I am excited to see. As an avid birder, Parrot Mountain garners my attention.
Parrot Mountain and Garden bills itself as an eco-tourist bird park and is nestled in beautifully landscaped gardens. Hundreds of beautiful tropical birds and thousands of flowers, plants, and trees pack this 4-acre venue.
Having recently purchased a newer camera and the Canon nifty fifty 50mm lens, I can hardly wait to try my hand at capturing portraits of these colorful birds.
The anticipation is building as we park and head toward the entrance. Some raucous Green Wing Macaws on perches greet us and pose for pics. They are positioned behind a short dry stacked stone fence reminiscent of Ireland. The canopy of trees is alive with melodic calls, chirps, screeches and what I’m pretty sure is a Mocking Jay ala Hunger Games. We immediately feel transported into the Amazonian rain-forest.
No soup for you
Parrot Mountain is isolated and we hope to grab a bite to eat along the way but never see anything. As a last resort, we decide to grab something on-site. This is an extreme disappointment. Only after selecting our snack stand cuisine we learn that the “cooks” aren’t even here yet. When the aloof teens finally arrive, they inform us that they are out of half of everything we order. Leaving us to just let them tell us what they do have before reordering. Food arrives without utensils or napkins and requires a revisit to the counter. After settling in to finally begin lunch it becomes obvious that these teens have somehow managed to forget ice in the drinks. I certainly hope that the birds are better cared for than the guests of the park.
I Love You, Pretty Boy
It’s hard to stay aggravated very long as we have the outside dining area to ourselves. The pair of Cockatoos (Moluccan and Umbrella) perched nearby calling “Hello” and point out that they are “A pretty boy” and reminding us that “I love you” bring smiles and have us rushing to choke down the less than ideal lunch to see what else is around the corner.
Pssst, I have a Secret
The secret garden is a small enclosed aviary with a menagerie of small birds: guineas magpies and crows but what captures our attention is a white dove perched on a knee-high rock wall. His cooing is inviting further attention. He quickly jumps into an extended hand and seems quite comfortable being held.
Exiting the garden the paved path leads through a series of caged exhibits with more exotic toucans, horn-bills, peacocks, pheasants, and cranes.
When you exit the secret garden you will come to the bird garden there you will find approximately 70 birds on open perches and here you can feed them seed from your hand, have pictures made with them or just walk around and look at them. What’s amazing is to see all the different species, sizes and gorgeous colors of the birds up close and personal. This meet and greet area is home to macaws, hyacinth, and cockatoos some marked as don’t feed or touch. You can get the obligatory park photo with options for purchase. However, they are totally accommodating of the do it your-selfers who wanna take our photos.
Beware of the Birds
Lorikeets (Lory’s) for a $2 cup of nectar put on a heck of a show. If you remember the Hitchcock classic “The Birds” and cringe at Tippi Hedrens’ encounter with the ravens you may want to skip this exhibit. You will be greeted by a swarm of colorful birds who possess zero respect for your personal space. They may even leave a honey like, (putting it mildly) deposit for you to take home with you.
The pathway through the Garden ends at the “Hatchery” this is a most unique gift shop in that they sell many birds that you can take home with you. I have mixed feelings about this. I’m afraid that buying a bird is not conducive to an impulse buy. Depending on breed some of these birds can live upwards of 60 years. This is not a commitment you want to make on a whim.
However, the hatchery mostly features the smaller breeds of parakeets, cockatiels, finches, conures, and my personal favorite the Indian Ringneck. These little birds pack a ton of personality, I latch on to a yellow on and Ainslie spots a curious blue one.
True to their nature they continually seek higher ground primarily in the form of the top of our heads. An amazing amount of time can be spent interacting with these little guys and it’s all so tempting to take them home. But for today I am content to leave with photos and many fond memories of these fun avians.
ADMISSION – Parrot Mountain
- $19.95 – Adults (12 years old and up)
- $9.95 – Children’s (2 – 11 years old)
- $15.95 – Seniors (65 years old and up)
- Group Rates (25 and up – MUST HAVE RESERVATIONS)
- $15.95 – Adults (12 years old and up)
- $8.95 -“ Children’s (2 – 11 years old)
OPEN DAILY
March, April, May, June | 10:00 – 6:00
July | 10:00 -7:00
August, September, October | 10:00 – 6:00
November 10:00 – 5:00
Open All of November
Closed for the season November 30th
When not on the road, he helps others fulfill their yearning to travel as a Membership Specialist for Thousand Trails.
When I first looked at the picture with you and all the Lory’s I thought your sunglasses were ‘presents of honey’ they had left on your head! LOL Glad you’re back to exploring this great country and writing about it…
Haha. Yeah it’s hard not to leave with a lil gift. More travels ahead the next couple of months then back with the manatees next year.
So glad you are back on the road! My pool is always opened for Murphy…..is Murphy with you? Enjoying the desert monsoons, but not the heat…
Yes, Murphy still ornery as ever. He’d love another dip in that pool to shake that Arizona heat. Heck I would too :-).
Great to see you posting again! May you all have many safe and happy travels ahead (and blog posts… lots of blog posts!)
Thank you Donna. Not my best literary work but glad to be out exploring again.