Making themselves at home

I had thrown out what was left of the grandchildren's breakfast - waffles. Probably with eyes bigger than their tummies they had asked for two. One managed all but a half and the other only one. I almost put them in the garbage can - then wondered whether our neighbourly noisy miners might find them a tasty morsel. Before I could change my mind I threw them on to the lawn just a few metres from my kitchen window. Since the babies left the nest a couple of weeks or so ago, I have thrown the odd end of bread out and it's quickly been gobbled up by about 5 or 6 of these birds who frequent the trees growing on the back fence line of our place.

The chirping made me look up as I made myself my morning cuppa. Mum was there on the grass, pecking for all her worth - in flew another - I was surprised to see her hop over to it and begin feeding it - even though it now looked about the same size as her. Quickly another, somewhat fluffy in appearance, flew down as well, and began protesting at his sibling being fed. Mum obliging, shared her mouthful. A few seconds later another adult joined the trio - presumably Dad - and joined in. It seems these now big babies, are no worse off for their ordeal of a couple of weeks ago when they lamely flew out of the nest for the the first time. Competent flyers now, they still seem ill at ease at landing on anything but their tree branch but did come in for a neat one on the grass near where the food was lying. Despite the fact that both of them were able to feed themselves off the grass, both parents were very attentive and made sure each of them had their share.

Amazing stuff when one takes the time to observe. Often we are so busy in our day to day lives that these little blessings pass us by. I have again this morning given thanks to my Heavenly Father for all his wonderful creation - and for the fact that I am able to see it and gain insight and blessing from these little creatures and their day to day comings and goings.

Thank you Lord!

Joyful sighting

I was standing at the kitchen window last night when mother bird screeched down from a high tree over the back of our fence, landing on the grass where I had thrown the end of a bread roll. She gobbled hungrily at first then took a large piece and flew off with it. I followed her with my eyes and saw her land about 2/3 of the way up a wattle tree, landing right next to two young.

I was feeling such joy. They were 'our' babies alright. Their feathers had grown and tails about an inch longer than when they were in the nest. At that time they were just stubby little stumps of feathers.

They had survived their ordeal. Obviously mother had found them and was continuing to feed them.

As I watched them from my hidden viewing point, I marvelled at the way this bird had sought out her young, even when I had thought there was no hope they would survive, she persisted, found them and continued to nurture, feed and teach them.

How much like our Heavenly Father this is - when we are lost, or just simply go the wrong way, He seeks us out, cradles us in His arms and comforts, forgives, blesses! I am so blessed and so grateful for His love for me.

Two flown the coop

I didn't realise it was as long as it has been since I wrote in this journal. Oh well - time flies when you're having fun - or so they say!

I got home one afternoon and took a peek into the nest as I usually did - I noticed something not quite right - the second time in the short life of these babies. Doesn't this bird mother have any sense at all? Fancy building a nest anchored with polyester twine! One baby had got a piece caught around it's tongue and was trying in vain to move it. All that seemed to be happening was a more severe tangle - and I could envisage a tongue being ripped out or at least sliced.

I gently pulled on it but it seemed to be getting tighter. Once again this human needed to come to the rescue - so out again with the kitchen scissors and with a couple of snips, the bird was freed. All this while 3 adults were swirling and diving towards me as I stood near the nest. I wasn't afraid that they would hurt me but I was concerned about the closeness of them as they flew in a wide arc nearby.

By the time I'd freed this baby, the sibling had become quite unsettled. For days now they have both perched themselves right on the very edge of the nest and even on occasions wobbled about on the twigs close by. It suddenly took off from the gardenia bush and flew just a few metres away hiding behind a fence post. I rescued it and put it back but by this time the injured baby had also taken flight. This time in the opposite direction, landing under the outdoor table. Again humanly rescued and placed back in the nest all was quiet for a few minutes. All of a sudden with a caucophony of baby squarks, they both took off. One, flying for all it's worth over the expanse of pool water, suddenly came to a halt, hitting itself against the fence on the other side. By this time the adults were not only the 3 usual carers, but others had joined in with the urgent squarking which could be heard quite some distance away. By now I was fearful that these babies were not going to survive. They were too small to fly far and if they got outside the parent's jurisdiction would probably starve.

I hunted for quite some time finally finding one under the lip of the pool. Gently lifting it I transported it back to the nest. The other by now I feared had gone under the fence to bushland behind. One safely tucked in I hiked over to the bushy area and managed to find baby number 2 perched in a small tree. Retrieving it to a cardboard box for transporting back to the nest I proceeded back towards home, it squarking all the way, and adults following with wild shrieks - indignant that I had removed this baby from their sight.

Eventually putting baby number 2 back in the nest, baby number one became flighty again and both took off. By now it was twilight and I knew I would have no chance of finding them in the half light. I just had to resign myself that they had 'escaped.'

No sign of them in the morning, but adults are flying close to the trees and giving the occasional squark when I poke my head out the door as if to say accusingly 'you lost our babies!'

Two are left

There were only two in view. Surely not - there wasn't enough room for another that size to be underneath - only one explanation then. One has died and one of the adults has taken the body somewhere far away from the nest. The reason we will never know but suspect it could have been the baby I clipped the nylon twine from a few days ago. How could it have survived this long then? Who knows? One can only surmise. But the two left are healthy looking with downy feathers now covering their fat bulging little bodies. Wing feathers growing longer with each passing day and mouths almost as wide as their heads with bright eyes which now look straight at me as I peer into the nest.

I haven't dared pick another one up as adults are squarking close by and I don't want to be their target. I've not heard of noisy miners attacking people like magpies often do during their breeding season so as these babies get larger I may be tempted. It will be interesting to see if either of them come back to their birthplace after they fly the coop.

As I ponder today's events, again I'm reminded of the delicate balance between life and death and how amazing is our Creator who keeps us in that balance.

Now there's three

Three hatched and have survived. Already at less than a week old they are beginning to look very much like native noisy miners. Feathers are beginning to appear and quills on their wings are sprouting. They are at least twice the size they were when first hatched. Mum, Dad and one other adult are kept busy in daylight hours feeding the hungry babies. Everything seems to be acceptable, lime green caterpillars, grasshoppers - almost still in flight, grubby worms, even what looks like whitish eggs of some type, maybe termites.

One day last week I took the opportunity to peek in when the adult birds were off on their food hunting. One of the babies was lying in a most awkward position. I couldn't see what it was that was wrong so gently lifted it up. To my surprise, down its throat was caught a long piece of nylon twine - coming from a tangled mess of this material which mum bird had woven into the nest, anchoring it to some small branches.

I gave a bit of a pull - but it was stuck fast. I couldn't in all honesty pull any harder - I felt as though the tiny scrap's whole inside would be pulled out. The only thing for it was to try to cut it off. I proceeded to get sharp scissors from inside and once the adults had left the area again, I snipped it off. I truthfully thought the poor thing would not survive till the morning with all that going through it's digestive system.

Morning came and I checked to see whether only two birds were now in the nest - thinking that mum may have ditched the one affected if it had died through the night. To my surprise all three were happily chirping and craning their necks - beaks wide open, waiting for a morsel to be shovelled down. And so it has continued. Seemingly no damage done. These birds must be made with cast iron digestive systems!

Two in the nest

Two baby birds have hatched. Blind and near naked they lie, and vulnerable - especially when new mum departs to seek food. On peeking this morning, I was confronted by four large bulbous eyes which don't see, angling their way toward the sky. Mum was off on a mission to find nourishment or simply to have a break from her demanding twosome. While standing watching the antics of one, a day older than the other, I realised for the first time that baby birds this young, who have no sight, only realise that food may be in the offing, once the branches in which they are lodged, begin to move. As I tried to angle my camera in for a close up shot, the vibration of my movement triggered a response from these babies and they began craning their necks toward the opening of the nest with mouths wide, waiting for a tasty morsel to be shoved inside. They were disappointed on this occasion however, as there was no food forthcoming. I have no doubt though that once I had cleared the door alongside their nesting place, mum - or dad, would have been back with breakfast for the pair.

What an experience these last 3 weeks have been, watching nature at such close quarters. To add to this, the first gardenia bloom broke open yesterday, bringing with it the most marvellously exotic perfume. I am truly blessed!

A blast from the past

They came bouncing back into our lives as though they'd never been away. This family who came to this country many years ago on a three year stint had been encouraged by their church, who were sponsoring them to stay, while the Dad completed a Theological degree. Not speaking much English, we were brought together by rather unusual circumstances. They, arriving here with nothing more than what they were able to bring in suitcases - me, with the possibility of assisting them with second hand furniture and household goods. At the time I was working for my church as a Welfare Worker and had access to these commodities through our Thrift Shop when the need arose.

The friendship of our two families grew and they joined us for Christmas dinners and family outings. We took their kids to Sunday School and they learned to speak fluent English by attending the local public school and integrating into other activities.

Now, nearly 20 years later, they were back for a short while. Their son was returning to our city with his new bride, to study at the same College his dad had completed his degree. Dad is now a university lecturer in his country, while mum pastors a large church on the outskirts of the capital. After all these years they had come to help set up an apartment close to the College, for son and new daughter in law. With fairly infrequent communication between us, we found it easy to 'catch up' during their visit for afternoon tea.

Before Mum and Dad departed, they took us with son and daughter in law, to a restaurant serving food traditional to their own country, and we were able to share with them, not only the food, but our mutual love of a Heavenly Father who had originally brought us together.

A blast from the past - certainly - but present day experiences have proven again that our God is an awesome God!

She's in for the long haul

Persistence certainly is the word I have to use to describe this little 'mum to be' as she sits -blithely ignoring the large drops from above raining down on her space. The surrounding areas have been declared drought affected for months now and rain is badly needed, but I still find myself pitying this little creature as she stoicly sits amongst the drips. Tail feathers obviously damp from the occasional puddles of water draining from the leaves enveloping her home.

I am reminded by another member of the household that 'out in the wild' birds would have worse than this to contend with - maybe she is just fortunate to have chosen well.

Now there's four - or more!

I just can't work this one out. First there was just one bird building a nest. Then came Dad and presumably, previous baby. Now there are a host of adult birds which fly in willy nilly and simply take over. I only wish I had some way of marking them as individuals so I could log their comings and goings. The poor gardenia is withstanding the traffic brilliantly however at times it sways drunkenly as each bird clings to the trunk and around the canopy, either to change places, like the veritable changing of the guards, or to peer in with a mock kind of chirping - beak going ninety to the dozen with barely a sound making it through the airwaves.

While 'mum to be' is sitting she occasionally spies an insect or the odd spider which has made it's home in the screen door, so close to her nest. She hurriedly removes herself from the nest and dives perilously close to the glass window to retrieve the tasty morsel, so keeping my back door area free of these small creatures.

It certainly is a community effort by all accounts. This morning I saw one of the 'mob' fly out and on as if to get away for a brief spell of sanity, only to see it turn in a direct swoop to squark and presumably scare off a much bigger bird flying past minding it's own business.

Guess all there is to do now is to wait and watch for the hatching. These birds aren't called 'noisy' miners for nothing - I'm sure we won't miss it!

And Baby Makes Three

Three on a twig? Well not quite - but three were on my gardenia bush. Our bird has brought her family along - not a new 'mum to be,' this one, it would seem. Through the glass window I caught a glimpse of movement near the nest. It wasn't just 'mum to be' moving in an out as she's been doing over the past week or so. It was more than that - in fact more birds. Dad proved to be the one to tip it - and off he flew, leaving' mum to be' sitting on the nest - and what appears to be a nearly grown bird, feathered, but with none of the usual noisy miner markings - completely brownish grey, except for eyes and legs. Whether it was the uncertainty of the perch or a message received of 'you're too big for this' from mum is hard to decide, but Mother bird was soon left by herself, nestling comfortably into the shape of her handiwork, and contemplating what the future might bring.

Persistence

So much for predictions! Persistence personified! She comes every so often with wads of white fluffy stuff, and places them in with such exact precision inside the hollow of the nest. She makes sure they are well moulded by nestling her round belly into the shape. Perhaps she really means to stay.

Movement of humankind in and out of the house may soon send her scurrying to find a more suitable construction site!

Unexpectedly unexpected...

As soon as I stepped into the room, my eyes were taken to the expanse of glass which looked out onto it. It was the fluttering that first drew my eyes to it. No... it couldn't be! But it was. A grey, noisy miner bird right in the centre of my potted gardenia which about five years ago I had decided to try to standardise. Over this time, attempts to train it have been hampered by green grubs several times, and despite my amateurish clipping and somewhat inadequate care, it has scrubbed up looking reasonable with a strong central trunk.

The miner had proceeded to begin building a nest - despite the fact that the the pot sits right next to my back door. Oh well it won't last long!