A sunbird pair and its nest!

 

I sensed an unusual flight movement of a Purple Rumped Sunbird in our courtyard yesterday in the morning! I positioned myself in a chair to get a view of their activity, knowing that it is the season of nesting for them. Some birds have been regular visitors in or garden for a while now.

I watched the male bird relatively quiet and was in short flight between trees in the vicinity. The  female bird appeared flying in and out of a nutmeg tree. Its arrival and departure was so quick that I could not get a closer view of its purpose till I noticed it gathering a dried mushroom plaque form a dry tree branch and flying in to a twig (fourth photo) to place it on a ragged looking messy collection of waste materials hanging from a slender branch, just above an ant nest (last photo).

In that seventy minutes when I watched in the morning it made 82 sorties to add on materials to its nest. I observed forty sorties during the late afternoon. It carried fibres, plaques, tiny sticks, barks, pieces of heads of grass, etc.

It was the exclusive activity of the female bird. The mail was not in the vicinity for most of the time. 

The sunbirds are small, bodily fidgety, and swift in movement that occasionally only I got satisfactory sharp photos. It was worth taking time to watch this activity. by about 4 pm, when I observed the last visit yesterday the nest looked oblong, hanging with a small opening on its rear side. I was fascinated by the body movements,nts it and to make all around the nest to place all that it gathered for the nest. 

I watched determination, perseverance and motivation in action yesterday. The planning skills and purposefulness of the Sunbird was outstanding. 

What a sight it was! I would not have got up from the chair but for the hot sun and the tiredness setting in by looking up at seventy degree angle, causing strain to the eyes and the neck! Anna  joined for a while, with her mobile phone camera to watch this rather rare sight, in our court yard!

That is how I spent good part of the day, on the fourth Sunday in advent. I remembered that the candle that is lighted on the fourth advent Sunday symbolises peace. The Sunbird symbolised peace to my soul. 

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)