A pair of olive-backed sunbirds have decided to build a nest in the longkong tree on my balcony. They have been busily flying in and out for a week or so, with industry that is inspiring. Initially, I noticed that the floor around the longkong tree (well, a sapling in a blue glazed Vietnamese urn) was littered with bits of dirt and I thought it was from the overflow of my mother's vealous watering. I just swept it up. But it persisted: And day after day, got more untidy. And then I looked up and there in the top-most branches, almost hidden by the large leaves was what looked like a loop of furry, mud-speckled, bark-encrusted string. It's not pretty, and looked nothing like what you'd think a nest looks like.But mother and I grew fond of the birds, and thrilled at the prospects of having the eggs and the baby birds in the coming month. We get worried when the winds blow the branches violently in the afternoons, lest the nest tumble down. I try not to get in the birds' way when I'm putting out or taking in the laundry. When I'm in sight, the birds make a U-turn in mid-air, 12 stories up, and hover at a distance, or swoop about, untill I go in, or out.
Every morning, over coffee, mother and I would talk about our sunbirds, and the progress of the nest-building; It has more shape now, like a straggly gourd, or a pouch with a clear opening in the belly for the mother bird to lay her eggs in.
Mother left some coloured yarn out on the balcony railing and hung some on the branches "So that they won't need to fly so far to pick up those string and things".
Mother left some coloured yarn out on the balcony railing and hung some on the branches "So that they won't need to fly so far to pick up those string and things". So far, the birds have not picked the yarn out, only the breeze.
I've grown very fond of the rustling the birds make in the longkong, and I miss the sharp twitter and squeaks they make when at sunset, the sunbirds leave off nest-making and go and take their much-needed rest somewhere (I wonder where?).
I can't wait to see their blue-green eggs, and I can't wait to see the little ones appear and start to sing, and the drama of the feeding of the babies (will there be more to clean up after?).
I would be so sad when they leave!
I am more interested to know how you "put out" in your apartment. Has it become a brothel? I am also sorry (actually am not) to tell you that your birdies may be gay and building a faux nest, just like those very smug gay couples shopping at OKEA that makes me want to throw Swedish meatballs at them.
ReplyDeleteHow Lovely! I like the image of your guests watching you do the laundry, Very Miyazaki!
ReplyDeleteHow lovely is tat, the best things in life are indeed free.
ReplyDeleteAlso,I was thinking, try leaving it some food, like a slice of apple or something and soon they would probably look forward to the feeding which also means the sight of you? And I also think, they might become homing ones if there's always food or if so, who knows, they might just never leave?
Beauty: You should go ahead and throw those meatballs at them, and while you're at it, also throw at those couples with strollers who really think they own the world.
ReplyDeleteAndrew: Haha! So kind of you to put this idea of Miyazaki inot my head. Now you've put a gloss of romance to my daily chores like sweeping and doing the laundry, which i sort of enjoy, but more so now, imagining i'm chihiro, and my mom is... totoro?
alleycaat: that's an idea; but i'm worried the sunbirds will be sick. i read that they eat nectar, and on occassion small insects? Also, i thought if i left fruit out, the crows and mynahs might come and then the nest might be attacked?