Travels with Pablo: The Question of His Immigration Status

Many, many years ago (1972), in a land far, far south of Alaska, a family traveling that country in their pickup/camper purchased a little green parrot from a street vendor.  When their vacationing was over, they turned their truck north and eventually arrived at the U.S. border.

After the usual questions to the driver, the border agent opened the door to the camper.   Whether or not he saw the parrot is known only to that agent.   Certainly he saw the three beautiful young girls—a redhead, a brunette, and a blonde— looking at him with doe eyes and perhaps that is where his gaze stopped.   The truck continued north to Alaska with the three girls and their baby parrot, which they named Pablo.

 

This photo of Pablo was taken a couple years ago.   I don't have any baby pixs of him.

The import from Mexico and countries south of there of many species of parrots, including the Mexican Double Yellow Headed Green Amazon, has been banned for many years, though Pablo seems to pre-date those conservation efforts.

As for his immigration status, well, that quandary is behind us now.  In fact, I firmly believe the question became moot when President Ronald Regan granted him citizenship status through amnesty in 1986.   (Well, along with 3.2 other illegal aliens.)

A Pablo Story: The Question of His Immigration Status

Many, many years ago (1972), in a land far, far south of Alaska, a family traveling that country in their pickup/camper purchased a little green parrot from a street vendor.  When their vacationing was over, they turned their truck north and eventually arrived at the U.S. border.

After the usual questions to the driver, the border agent opened the door to the camper.   Whether or not he saw the parrot is known only to that agent.   Certainly he saw the three beautiful young girls—a redhead, a brunette, and a blonde— looking at him with doe eyes and perhaps that is where his gaze stopped.   The truck continued north to Alaska with the three girls and their baby parrot, which they named Pablo.

 

This photo of Pablo was taken a couple years ago.   I don't have any baby pixs of him.

The import of many species of parrots, including the Mexican Double Yellow Headed Green Amazon, from Mexico and countries south of there has been banned for many years, though Pablo seems to pre-date those conservation efforts.

As for his immigration status, well, that quandary is behind us now.  In fact, I firmly believe the question became moot when President Ronald Regan granted him citizenship status through amnesty in 1986. 

  (Well, along with 3.2 other illegal aliens.)

Late Autumn in Turnagain Pass

A thousand feet above the silty waters of Turnagain Arm, a passage through the mountains is called by the same name.

Ablaze with wild flowers in the summer months, the pass is now quieter.   Most of the tourists have left, though Rvs with Alaska license plates are still around.

When you're a spruce tree in Turnagain Pass, you're pretty special.

I was in the pass Sunday afternoon for what is most likely my last day of picking up litter for this season.

In the Silvertip section near Turnagain Pass.

Today, Sunday, a storm rolled in slowly, bringing the season's first snow.

That lone spruce tree with a few of its kind and a bunch of hemlocks.

Low on the horizon, the late autumn sun casts shadows in the mountains near Johnson Pass.

Hoar frost covers roadside grass.

Loving' Those Litterers

Sometimes, I just love people who litter.....

....plus  a quarter.     And, in a frequently used pullout, no less.

Last Light at Tern Lake

We are losing daylight hours quickly here in the north.   It seems like yesterday I mentioned that I didn't like darkness at 9:30 P.M.   Now, it's dark by 8 P.M.

During the afternoon, that "five o'clock shadow throws the valley into shade until the sun rounds the south mountain and gives us an hour or so of  that wonderful evening light.

I was at Tern Lake this evening when the sun, low on the horizon, began to disappear for the night behind another mountain and snapped this photo of a Trumpeter swan moments before it was cast into shade.

Travels with Pablo: The RV Pecking Order

At one time, the Follett household included three parrots.   There a was Pablo, a Mexican Double Yellow Headed Green Amazon, Bobby the Greater Sulphur Crested Cockatoo, and Louis, a conure, a sweet little bird slightly larger than a parakeet.

All three loved going in the motorhome with us.   It didn’t take long before the home-territory pecking order gave way to the RV pecking order.   The ideal place to ride was on Ken’s shoulder, and later on, Ken’s elbow, as he drove.

Pablo ALWAYS got the prime spot because he was an excellent flier.   Bobby never did learn that flying was something he could do for transportation.   To him, his three-foot wing span was for escaping from something that startled him, and thus was not employed often.  Instead, he walked and climbed.

So Pablo always won.   I, in the passenger seat, was the consolation prize, more of a launching pad should Pablo abandon his spot.  Later on, when Ken’s elbow was the ideal spot, his shoulder became the consolation prize.   I was an after-thought.

Little Louie knew better than to compete with giants and happily stayed on top his cage.

Pablo sits on Ken's shoulder while Bobby waits his chance to claim the spot.  Little Louie sits on Pablo's cage.