Whatever brings on cheers

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Reviewing unprocessed images in the hard disk is like taking chicken soup - cheers and solace during these long lockdown days, and no less these of the Stripe-throated Bulbul.

Sometimes the focus should not just be on the bird - the background matters too.

Malkoha's poor choice

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I was obviously the intruder here but no matter, I got my shot and I moved on quickly because this Green-billed Malkoha was actually trying to build a nest in a low shrub.  Unfortunately because of its location (just by joggers' path so close to constant human traffic) and choice of low shrub, the partial nest was abandoned.
But because of its attempt I was able to observe it and its mate at closer and lower range than would be possible.

As I was passing by

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Thanks for the pose!

Perhaps last of the Minivet

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I guess when the taman reopens the Ashy Minivets would have returned home.  These were the last images caught before the taman closed temporarily.

Mynas "of a feather"

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Birds of a feather flock together, and this flock could be as true to form as any ... Common Mynas, Great Mynas and Javan Mynas.

Cheers from Iora

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Lockdown day9 - we all need some cheer and colour these days, and what better than from this Common Iora foraging, and successful too.

Gorgeous and stunning - in the rain tree (samanea saman) with lovely pink blooms.

And  food for one!

A worn-out kite

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It's certainly time to dig into old stock during this lockdown period
- day 7. 
I didn't have to go too deep as I chanced upon this Brahminy Kite image, taken when I was looking out recently for the crested goshawks.
It's the first time I've seen a Kite looking rather tattered, a rather dismal sight.

I wonder if this could be the same one, seen a few months back.

Goshawk chicks

And so it's on to the Crested Goshawks and their chicks.  I got to say that I was rather slack not to have discovered this nest, a rather well-kept secret as I did not even notice the birds building its nest.  On the contrary I was trying to monitor another tree, having noticed some nest building activity there. So it had abandoned that one and built this one that's higher up, in a tree that's just one of many tall ones unlike previous lone standing trees.

These chicks definitely looked a couple of weeks old already when I spotted them.

Earlier in the day when I saw the male suddenly fly down, I knew immediately it was on a hunt but I didn't think that it was targetting another bird, and it got it, a Javan Myna.  At this point I still wasn't aware of any chicks until I spotted a female perching up high close by.

Having spotted this female I was curious why it was perching so quietly, and then only did I notice that it was actually standing watch, close to its nest.

Five days later, the chicks seemed to have more than doubled in size, however, one faster than the other.

This parent flew in suddenly and as swiftly it flew off.  It was not with food because the chicks were not seen to feed when it flew in.

The growth rate between the siblings was quite apparent going by the differences in size and feathers.

And the older one seemed stronger too as it was standing conspicuously throughout the ten minutes I was there.

The smaller one was seen mostly slumped over some twigs, hopefully not because it's terribly weak.

The other one definitely appeared more dominant.  Here's hoping that both will grow well into adulthood.

Unfortunately this is where I've got to leave the monitoring and hopefully these chicks will continue to grow well during the duration of the lockdown.  It's certainly something to look forward to when the taman reopens.

Celebrating Oriole's chick (cont'd)

I was not to know that this would be my last day and opportunity to observe the Black-naped Oriole and its new chick (being law-abiding I did not venture to the now-closed taman due to the lockdown although I guessed I could still have tried to venture there, peep beyond the fence to that tree!).

A close-up and a thin gooey pull suggested that feeding was going on.

Left alone, a little head popped up to reveal an adorable healthy chick, my first distinct sighting of an avian ear.  And fine wisps of hair standing visibly.

The chick was not left alone for too long before a parent arrived with food.

Crying for food even before its feed could be digested, and this pattern was to be seen for the next two hours, ie. being fed, crying for another one immediately after.

When left alone again, the hungry chick managed to haul itself up to call out.

This round, it was simply fascinating to see how the chick did not even turn round to be fed, instead merely reaching out its beak backward, and not get choked!

Obviously the feed was insufficient and the parent had to leave in search again.

When one returned, not sure if it's the same one, it was without food but it turned out this one was seen to do some preening on the chick.

My attention was diverted and I missed the changing of guards.
When I next zoomed in, this parent was seen with a fruit this time for the chick.

Naturally when there was input there would be output!

And the feeding went on and one, one parent leaving only when the other flew in to replace.

The most interesting was when a parent returned with a huge worm, and I thought it would be a struggle for the chick to take that one in.

Again that awkward reach, at least it seemed to me.

Hardly a problem I guessed!

Was that a look of reprimand for asking for another so promptly?!

Well, unfortunately this tale got to stop here when the parent took off leaving the chick alone and it was not seen to clamour any more for a feed, for the rest of the duration I was there.

Nevertheless, just as it was fascinating to watch the chick's behaviour it was too with the parents'. Both Oriole parents were indeed seen ceaselessly rotating duty to feed the young one.

And one would always be around for the young one - 'manja' moments I called these.