Indian Myna

I keep discovering more about common birds by observing them during their flights. Although there is an inconspicuous white patch on the wings of Indian Myna, when you observe them when perched, it becomes visible under the wings prominently during their flight. This surprised me.

I have noticed them ion pairs and in a group in our garden. That seems to be their pattern. A few pairs become party. They are often together during their flights.

From April to September, they nest. They usually look for holes in tree trunks, building walls,  or roofs,  to make their nest.

Bird lovers tell me that birds make their nest in properties which are hospitable. Birds do not like tree felling, fire, insecticide spraying, bursting crackers or even loud barking of dogs!

To make a garden nesting friendly is therefore a gift we can offer to birds!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)  

Nesting time!

I watched a pair of minas frequenting the black pepper creeper and two days later I noticed straw and dry grass hanging from the bush. It is a sign that some birds are looking for safe places for nesting in our garden. 

This tree is just in front of our garden in a meadow, adjacent to a foot path. The birds ought to be comfortable with humans to attempt to nest close to frequent movements an activities. 

I shall keep a watch on this site in hope that some more birds would nest in different places in our garden!

It is when birds can nest in a garden, the birds feel welcome and at home!

Something to look forward to during this nesting season!

M.C.Mathew( text and photo)

A Magpie Robin family in our garden!

A holiday is a good day to look for sighting birds. Around 6 am today, as I walked in the courtyard, I noticed a Magpie Robin on the lawn with a dragon fly between its beaks. I have watched a pair of Robins for a while around our cottage, but did not look enough to follow their activity.

I watched this Robin fly into the foliage of the nutmeg tree and while waiting to spot it again, I heard a screeching bird call. That was a signal to me of offsprings of this bird nesting in the tree. I failed to  trace the bird as the sun had not risen and the thick foliage was still in darkness. I wandered in the garden for a while and returned to the same spot. That is when I spotted the parent birds, one perched on a pipe and the the other in the adjacent shrub. 

 

I waited quietly on this spot. The Robin in the bush whose bird call alerted me, gathered a berry and flew in to the foliage of the nutmeg tree. I noticed the other adult Robin following its pair in to the foliage. 

After a while of search I noticed a young bird adjacent to a  large hollow on the trunk, which made it certain that it was the nesting place of this family (Photo 4).

By then the sun had arisen and the two other young birds appeared on the courtyard sitting close to each other with their mouths open, one on a pipe and another on a cable. They were waiting for their feed from the adult birds.

One of the adult birds appeared on the court yard of our cottage and soon one of the young birds flew down from the pipe with the mouth open waiting for a feed. The shutter noise of the camera disturbed them and they flew away back into the foliage of the tree.

I sat at vantage point to see if the birds would return to their nest. I noticed one of the young birds at the mouth of the nest. Th eaters were still around, but hidden to my sight.  

By then I had spent three hours following the birds between the nutmeg tree and the shrubs in the courtyard yard. I retreated not because I was tired, but because the birds appeared restless with my presence and shutter noise of the camera. Robins are human friendly and they choose to nest in the trees or in the gaps or cervices in the walls of buildings. 

All the three offsprings are able to fly short distances and are hopefully ready to fend for themselves.

So the the adult birds woeful force them to fly away, while the adults too would leave the nest and separate form each other.

What was fascinating about this bird sighting experience was to watch the behaviour of the young birds. They keep their mouth open while waiting for their feed.

It is the same with human babies as well. They too open their mouth and search for the feed when they feel hungry! 

There is certainty of provision! It is in asking, one receives according to the words of Jesus of Nazareth.

To be able to ask is a privilege and to give in response to asking is a responsibility! 

All of us are providers... it is a solemn responsibility !

M.C.Mathew(text and photo) 

A Bird family!

Two Red wattled Lapwing birds in two corners of a recently ploughed field, close to our cottage. It was the first time I spotted a Lapwing close to our cottage during this season. Usually when there are a few Lapwings are around, there is a chance of them either nesting or preparing to do so, as they lay brown coloured eggs in the open ground. 

As one of them started its bird call, the other Lapwing became responsive with its bird call, which is evident form the last photo. As I watched this for a while, I got a sense of the way another bird family is being born!

Since then, I have noticed these two birds strolling together on the field a few times.  I shall keep a watch if they finally ned tin tis field!

To me the bird life is special because birds find each other to form a family. The relational dimension begins form the time they respond toe each otter with reciprocal bird songs!

There is a message I draw form this: a family is primarily formed through loving attachments.

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)