Ken Sadler was relieved to be reunited with his budgie Whisky. In the background are Masterton Intermediate School pupils and bird rescuers Thorwald Sunier, Kyle Lewis, Jayden Levey and Luca Nilsen. PHOTO/CHELSEA BOYLE
CHELSEA BOYLE
There was a twitter of excitement at Masterton Intermediate School yesterday morning, when a group of pupils spotted a bright green bird tapping at the classroom window.
Whisky the budgie had fled her coop on Pownall St, and had been on a 24-hour whirlwind adventure around the streets of Masterton.
Owners Ken and Jean Sadler were desperately missing her, so much so they could not sleep.
Mr Sadler said they had felt “destroyed” when they realised the bird was missing and they had gone around the neighbourhood trying to call the bird home to no avail.
Little did they know Whisky was nearby making a few new friends.
The classroom had erupted in excitement when they spotted the bird.
Among the pupils desperate to catch the bird were Thorwald Sunier, Kyle Lewis, Jayden Levey and Luca Nilsen.
Luca said he was just working away in the classroom when the commotion broke out.
“I thought something was on fire, and wanted to go see it.”
But it was a budgie on the window.
Kyle said they were not sure what to make of the bird at first.
“I thought it was a really nice bird, a cute bird.”
Jayden said he thought it could be a parakeet or something.
The group began the task of catching it.
“We didn’t know if it was wild,” Kyle said.
After a brief foray under the classroom the bird was soon scampering up the sleeves of the children.
The school contacted the Sadlers after teacher Kate Hamill spotted a post on Facebook about the missing bird.
Mr Sadler was thrilled to be reunited with the bird, saying his wife was “over the moon” with its safe return.
