The parents had made more than one attempt at nesting but only managed to do so late last year. It tried to reuse an existing nest but had many times to contend with the Crested Goshawk and Jungle Crows, and finally to man who decided to conduct indiscriminate tree cutting.
The couple of failed nesting, with an existing nest and a new one that was promptly abandoned due to pesky intrusion.
Finally at the end of last year, it completed its new nest and as is said, the rest is history.
In early January, both parents were seen at the nest which suggested the presence of chicks.
An indication that indeed there was or were chicks as this adult is seen with, and carrying away waste from the nest.
My first sighting of the two chicks.
A closer look.
With adult.
And the feeding was none stop. The adult was seen in a typical aerial position where it can either tear or even eat while in flight.
What's more interesting was how the chicks were changing in weeks. This was taken only less than two weeks after first sighted.
When the adult swooped down to where I was standing, by the pond, repeatedly, I was thrilled. It was the closest a Kite had ever come to me. I thought it was trying to get at the fish in the pond, a very daring act in bright day light and where there was someone standing around. But then again I thought hunting to feed two mouths could not be easy, and there's always the risk to take.
The adult finally managed to fish something out of the pond and flew to a tree opposite to where I was standing. Then it flew up with what I thought was a pretty big catch, until I looked at my images and was shocked to see that it had fished a plastic bag with what looked like some remains in it. The poor bird must have thought that it had it big!
Realising that it was a false catch, it released the plastic bag and flew off.
A few minutes later my attention was drawn to cries and calls from the nest area. It looked like the other adult was feeding the chicks.
And then the chick's upturn look, and of the adult's too, suggested that something else was going on.
And then, the other adult came back, frantically circling the nest.
And then I sighted the Jungle Crows, circling the nest too. Fortunately these pesky intruders were promptly pursued and chased off.
And all's well as the adult looking very proud and dignified, settled down with the chicks.
I had a great opportunity to view one of the chicks as it decided to stand up and out on the nest, the first time for me to see it out of the nest. Two weeks, and it's looking great and healthy.
It's only 4 days later, and the chicks' feathers already showed visible change in colours.
The chicks were most active now, flexing and flapping constantly in the nest.
One of the adults seen feeding by itself, perhaps to feed its young later?
Another week, and more transformation, and looked like the young were getting too big for their nest.
Feeding continued, and looked like food still had to be torn before being fed.
Still, the young were seen to perch only on the nest. There was no seen attempt to move out of the nest to perch openly on the branches.
The unmistakable look of a parent for its young, love, care, concern?
It's now exactly 30 days after the chicks were first sighted. And one did look more active than the other.
Finally, one made the attempt to step out and up on the adjacent branch.
The adult with a lower half of a fish for its young.
At this stage, it was already a relief that the young had made it successfully, and growing just beautifully with brilliant colours. Must be the regular fish meal!
At this point the feeding still continued regularly but it did look like the adult would always have its share first before it took the catch to the young.
And then, one morning, I saw one in the air! Well done and bravo! A heart-warming scene, knowing that the entire nesting period was successful and over.
This one, the Oriental Honey-buzzard suddenly appeared and I saw the other Kite adult suddenly appeared too, both very protective of the young that was still circling, obviously enjoying its new found freedom.
Closely guarding its young.
And then there were four! So the other one had also successfully taken to flight.
And this young must have sensed the meal too as it appeared suddenly.
The triumphant siblings after their meal.
Meanwhile threat continued to abound as the Crested Goshawk was seen hovering around until it was chased off by the watchful adult.
Though smaller, this adult Goshawk seemed a real threat to the young.
From now on, it'll be pleasure to monitor the two young Brahminy Kites that have fledged successfully, their transformation to adulthood that will be displayed in their plumage, so here's hoping that these birds will continue to fly the taman sky (and that should be another delightful story to track!)
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