Finally discovered that the 10 feet tall wide-spread tree in my front garden is a a hamelia patens or fire bush or firecracker bush or hummingbird tree. Consequently also learnt that the tiny birds with pointed beaks that hover upside down to suck the nectar from the tiny orange blossoms are not hummingbirds but sunbirds. (Like lavender, hummingbirds don't grow in India!)
A couple of them recently had even tinier babies. (What are baby sunbirds called? Nestlings? ) Mama Sunbird spent a long while building a small 6 inch x 4 inch nest hanging by what looks like a string or hair from the very furthermost tip of a branch.) I wondered why the nest was built at what seemed to me to be a very precarious position, until I saw the black and white cat of unknown ownership who sometimes flashes by the lawn sitting at the base of the tree. Wise Ma and Pa S. No cat could ever climb on that twig like branch or climb down that string. Ma and Pa have even built a little awning outside the nest to protect their babies from rain or the gardener's hose. And I think they've deliberately made the nest as unattractive as they could . It looks nothing more than a lump of rubbish hanging from the tree and I had almost tried to sweep it away before I realized what it was. The things we do to protect our young!
Meanwhile Ma and Pa S are fiercely protective of their little ones. The beautiful red and black bulbul with a cheeky tuft on its head visits the tree with her mate and refuses to be deterred by Ma's screams. A pair of glossy black and white magpie robins also hop by completely ignoring the combined screams of the Sunbird Parents. And the female koel, black and white spotted body, who turned up one beautiful morning, sat disdainfully still, two burning red coals for eyes staring into the distance.
I haven't seen the nestlings yet. They're tucked deep into the nest but they certainly add to the racket their parents make. Through the hot, long days this week, as Ma and Pa S were busy darting in and out of the nest with, I suppose, little sips of nectar from the orange blossoms on the tree, the babies set up a loud screeching. I tried peering into the nest-it's just a foot above my height but to no avail. Maybe when Ma and Pa begin flying lessons I will get a look at the first babies in the Fire Bush!
A couple of them recently had even tinier babies. (What are baby sunbirds called? Nestlings? ) Mama Sunbird spent a long while building a small 6 inch x 4 inch nest hanging by what looks like a string or hair from the very furthermost tip of a branch.) I wondered why the nest was built at what seemed to me to be a very precarious position, until I saw the black and white cat of unknown ownership who sometimes flashes by the lawn sitting at the base of the tree. Wise Ma and Pa S. No cat could ever climb on that twig like branch or climb down that string. Ma and Pa have even built a little awning outside the nest to protect their babies from rain or the gardener's hose. And I think they've deliberately made the nest as unattractive as they could . It looks nothing more than a lump of rubbish hanging from the tree and I had almost tried to sweep it away before I realized what it was. The things we do to protect our young!
Meanwhile Ma and Pa S are fiercely protective of their little ones. The beautiful red and black bulbul with a cheeky tuft on its head visits the tree with her mate and refuses to be deterred by Ma's screams. A pair of glossy black and white magpie robins also hop by completely ignoring the combined screams of the Sunbird Parents. And the female koel, black and white spotted body, who turned up one beautiful morning, sat disdainfully still, two burning red coals for eyes staring into the distance.
I haven't seen the nestlings yet. They're tucked deep into the nest but they certainly add to the racket their parents make. Through the hot, long days this week, as Ma and Pa S were busy darting in and out of the nest with, I suppose, little sips of nectar from the orange blossoms on the tree, the babies set up a loud screeching. I tried peering into the nest-it's just a foot above my height but to no avail. Maybe when Ma and Pa begin flying lessons I will get a look at the first babies in the Fire Bush!
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