Lencha the parrot is safely back at home after a harrowing experience that included a brief time being held in the clutches of a Broadmoor neighborhood cat.
Here's the tale as relayed by Broadmoor resident Gayle Hudson with dramatic embellishments by Patch.
Lencha is a Senegal parrot born in the United States. This West African breed is smaller and less voluble than other parrots.
Her adventure began several days ago when Lencha flew out of the cage which was being cleaned by her owner.
Her escape came as a shock. Lencha was tame and had never flown the coop before.
This time, however, Lencha set off on an adventure that led her to a backyard near Dowling and Kenilorth that is patrolled by Diane Neptune's cat.
The grabbed the diminutive parrot. Fortunately, said feline was gentle and caused no puncture wounds, the bacteria from which could have killed Lencha.
Her plight was chronicled on the Broadmoor Neighborhood Association e-mail list, where residents normally exchange everything from prowlers' reports to plumbers' recommendations.
Now the neighbors put their collective heads together to care for Lencha and find her owners. Resident Neil Sims, a parrot owner, provided some expertise and a cage.
According to Hudson:
"Lencha was very hungry and ate peanuts, grapes, corn on the cob, parrot seed, millet spray and apple slices. She (was) a very social and funny bird - she would dance on her perch and make sweet clucking noises, a cute whistle tune and only the occasional squawk to tell me she wanted my attention. She never tried to bite and loved neck rubs."
Lencha was soon restored to her rightful owners.
"Her family were all excited to see her again and called her return a miracle," Hudson wrote. "A very happy ending and hooray for the power of the BNA E-List!"
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(Adapted from a note sent by Gayle Hudson of the Broadmoor Neighborhood Association, with cer
