Sunday, January 25, 2009
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Sunbirds
I have a pair of Olive Backed Sunbirds which nest around the house every year. They have adapted to being around humans as it gives them protection from predators. usually they build their nest on our undercover clothesline behind the house,(last time they hatched 2 chicks) however this time they have decided to build in a much more viewable spot.
here she is building her nest, it has been every day, all day for the last week or so
It is fascinating to watch, and very easy as they (and I say they as though the male doesn't actually build he is always there with her) have chosen to build here
that is directly outside our front door. Adjacent to the couch I sit in to watch tv and hanging off a small windchime.
They do not mind us using the door at all, or watching them, in fact the male often comes to the screens and looks in at me chirping. He even seems to look for me if I'm in another room, checking windows until he finds me. I do wonder what he thinks of me as, a protector? A friend? another girlfriend!?
Even though I am being anthropomorphic (*science alert* attributing human feelings to an animal) it does seem far more than random.
So she is just finishing the actual nest part of the structure, it is made out of tiny pieces of bark and leaf joined with her saliva, you can even see her sit sometimes and lick the piece before placing it. The egg chamber will be padded with silky fluff from a species of wild cotton, cobweb and scavenged small feathers or other soft fibres.
In a few days she will lay 2 or 3 eggs and this time, as it is at eye level we will have an unequalled view of the creation of the next generation.
It is a beautiful thing. I hope it will be a successful breeding season for them.
ps. I will add to this blog as it progresses
OK this is the mummy kangaroo with her joey, it's a fair sized joey too, they stay in the pouch and eat as she does
this I used the flash and their eyes glowed - possessed kangaroos!
this is a bit better but it was dusk so the light was terrible
UPDATE:
Feb 1, Mummy bird sitting on her egg, the nest ends up almost horizontal in the wind!!
here she is building her nest, it has been every day, all day for the last week or so
It is fascinating to watch, and very easy as they (and I say they as though the male doesn't actually build he is always there with her) have chosen to build here
that is directly outside our front door. Adjacent to the couch I sit in to watch tv and hanging off a small windchime.
They do not mind us using the door at all, or watching them, in fact the male often comes to the screens and looks in at me chirping. He even seems to look for me if I'm in another room, checking windows until he finds me. I do wonder what he thinks of me as, a protector? A friend? another girlfriend!?
Even though I am being anthropomorphic (*science alert* attributing human feelings to an animal) it does seem far more than random.
So she is just finishing the actual nest part of the structure, it is made out of tiny pieces of bark and leaf joined with her saliva, you can even see her sit sometimes and lick the piece before placing it. The egg chamber will be padded with silky fluff from a species of wild cotton, cobweb and scavenged small feathers or other soft fibres.
In a few days she will lay 2 or 3 eggs and this time, as it is at eye level we will have an unequalled view of the creation of the next generation.
It is a beautiful thing. I hope it will be a successful breeding season for them.
ps. I will add to this blog as it progresses
OK this is the mummy kangaroo with her joey, it's a fair sized joey too, they stay in the pouch and eat as she does
this I used the flash and their eyes glowed - possessed kangaroos!
this is a bit better but it was dusk so the light was terrible
UPDATE:
Feb 1, Mummy bird sitting on her egg, the nest ends up almost horizontal in the wind!!
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