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EGGS IN A NEST

 EGGS IN A NEST

 

LT COL NOEL ELLIS

10/IV/2024

 

It gives me immense satisfaction to see that Brownie & Blackie the Sunbirds have selected our garage to make their nest and new home to bring up their chicks. We are indeed privileged.

Today, there was some hectic activity around her nest. Lots of Sparrows and Bulbuls were teasing Brownie. A few of them almost assaulted her. For a while, she just sat frozen still in the nest. I could see her beak jutting out of the entrance of her nest. Probably she had laid eggs and was hatching them.

It took me some time to understand what was going on. Birds come, hang around, pick up insects and seeds, converse, even fight & then leave. Today, they were in a different mood.

There is a hanging lantern in our neighbours garage which they light up during Diwali. Sparrows and Bulbuls are probably in a tussle to make a nest in it or on it. Last year bulbuls chose one of our hanging pots. This year that pot is not there.

In that scrimmage, they were flying to Brownie’s nest and clutching to its sides. This definitely would have damaged the weavings and even detached a few strands of grass. Some twigs broke off and fell to the ground. This is what was disturbing our birdie.

The doubt in my mind was, should I intervene! My heart was with Brownie and the efforts she had put into constructing her nest. Hundreds of chukkers to pick up each twig and blade of grass to make this small dainty and delicate structure had taken some effort. In one skirmish of bulbuls and sparrows, the whole effort would have come to naught.

As on a usual day, I had my camera with me. I clicked her chasing the other birds away, confidently and fearlessly, without bothering about her personal safety. Blackie, her husband, was missing from the combat zone, which was a surprise for me.

Brownie and I got into a conversation to assess the damage and further course of action. She was annoyed and not in a good mood. Her tweets and chirps were on a higher scale and the pitch of her voice was shriller than usual.

“What happened”, I asked? This was a hint for her to pour her heart to me. She started with a complaint about our neighbour's son. This man is quite tall and could reach this nest if he raised his hand. Thanks to my timely intervention while watering the pots, where I pointed out to him that this was a nest. Or else in one wave of his hand, the nest was about to go.

The scared bird flew to safety and made a ruckus from a tree close by. Brownie told me that man would have shattered our dreams had I not told him. “It was my duty and an agenda point, to apprise them of your abode”, I said. For which brownie thanked me with a tweet. Now that the neighbours have gone, she should not be scared anymore. I assured her.

Then a series of grumbles started about us feeding and watering bulbuls and sparrows. “Have a heart”, I told Brownie. “We grow so many nectar laden flowers for you. Everyday you visit them. If we serve the other birds a few grains, some roti, and a bowl of water, you should not complaint”. Brownie kept quiet, as I had a point.

“Where is Blackie?”, I asked. Brownie kept quiet for a while and then exploded. “Did you see ‘Beenie’ trying to hurt me today?” I nodded. “She is my sister and one day junior. We are from the same clutch”. “As I got busy with the nest, she got busy with Blackie”. “Oh! I see, but why was she here”. “She doesn’t like me and came to fight. That’s what she is good at. She has told me to stay away from Blackie”. “Hmm”, I said.

“Is she going to start a family with Blackie?” I asked Brownie. “Obviously”, she replied. “She was on a lookout for a readymade nest. I did not let her in mine”. “Now, I will be more vigilant, hopefully, she won't return, as I gave her a tweet full”. “Wonderful”, I said.

“Anything else that I can do to help you”. “Thank you”, she said. “This time I have made a much stronger nest. The grass hangings you see below the main nest are made on purpose. The sparrows and bulbuls would have otherwise sat on the main nest and damaged it. Now they hang on the lower portion and the main nest gets saved”. “Good idea”, I said.

“How many eggs have you laid?” “Make a guess”, she said. Any ideas? I wonder!!!!!!!!

 

JAI HIND
© ® NOEL ELLIS









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