Guinness the budgie safe at home after pub crawl cut short

RAYMOND Terrace has welcomed home one small yet extremely adventurous local.

One-year-old budgerigar “Guinness” staged what can only be described as an attempt at a one-bird pub crawl to meet his namesake.

The bright yellow youngster, hand-raised by Robin Dualsky’s grandson Jakk, was gifted to fill Robin’s heartache after she lost her cockatoo companion “Cookie”, after 20 years.

Guinness seemingly found a taste for the local amber ale after seizing the opportunity to leave when his cage was accidently left open.

He made the daring escape last week by swooping past Robin’s shocked and frightened face.

Taking off into the night, he winged his way through Ray Tay with a confidence well beyond his tender age.

His night out came to an end at the Junction Hotel, where he was spotted sitting on the sidewalk, evidently still charmed by the riverside lights, clinking cutlery, and the cheerful revel of diners.

Diner Amelia quickly realised this was no ordinary barfly.

After confirming the tiny reveller wasn’t on the menu, she posted his details on Facebook in a bid to reunite him with his worried owner.

Displaying top-tier good-Samaritan credentials, Amelia then took Guinness home with her to Paterson, where the young budgie reportedly “slept it off” after his big night out.

The next day, the “Mother’s Milk” lightweight did the walk of shame home.

He was collected by Paul, a neighbour of Robin’s, who described the fugitive as “hungover, appropriately tired and sporting a slight head wobble”.

Robin was relieved and delighted to welcome Guinness home safely, though the young adventurer was immediately informed his days of late-night bar hopping were over.

A brand-new, more secure cage was installed, and Guinness was bounced into what Robin jokingly described as “detox”.

Like a typical teenager, he wasn’t revealing much about how early he was three sheets to the wind.

Despite the mischief, the ending was like happy hour, with Guinness back where he belongs and safe, sound, and significantly less known to The Junction publican after lights-out.

As for future pub crawls?

Robin says Guinness will be confined to a night cap of seed and water from now on, though his reputation as Raymond Terrace’s tiniest party animal may take a little longer to fade.

By Jacie WHITFIELD