Sunbirds living dangerously.

After successfully raising one chick from a nest right outside our louvres, our sunbirds encountered tragedy on their next attempt. Unfortunately on a windy night, their nest blew down and the little chick died of exposure. It was a sad day for all of us. Father sunbird kept coming back to the nest site, calling out for his family. Eventually they built another nest under the neighbour's lean-to. It was a very sensible nest site -- protected from sun and wind and kookaburras who were too large to get through the lattice barrier. 

But now the sunbirds have built a nest outside our bathroom and practically next to the laundry door.

You might remember this post from a couple of weeks ago, where I said that Charlotte, the Bird-eating-spider, was back in her burrow about 30cm from my laundry door. You guessed it...the subird nest is directly above the spider burrow -- about two metres above it and I hope that is enough. One thing is certain. If the baby falls out of the nest it won't die of exposure.

We had another visitor this week. I could hear scratching noises in the back room and it was this gorgeous sand monitor goanna just having a look around. We have at least three of them living nearby. Two boys and a girl, I suspect, after the agressive confrontation I witnessed a couple of months ago. It was all for show and no one got hurt.  This fellow is welcome anytime if he promises to eat spiders. Mind you, he will be just as happy eating baby sunbirds.

Next photo is a slightly less welcome visitor squatter. Geckos...we have dozens of them and with no insect screens they come and go as much as they please. Mostly they don't go. They just stay, but at least they eat some of the bugs which also come and go as much as they please.

Last photo is the little double bar finches who are using our bird bath as a meeting place. One of our friends says he photographed fourteen of them all sharing his birdbath at the same time. They are very amiable little birds.

Meet the neighbours

Not all of the neighbours.  We do have quite a few very interesting neighbours, but these are two of my favourites.  They are Brahminy Kites, otherwise known as Fish Eagles or Red-backed Sea Eagles.  They are the most intense chestnut colour with a pure white head.  I think they are really gorgeous and I hope to get much better photos of them in the future.  As Mr Sunshine and I went for our beach walks, I sometimes spotted one of them in a certain tree - the tallest tree in that part of the neighbourhood.  Then one day as I was photographing him.  His mate flew in to join him. That was even better.

On the way back I was checking to see if they were still there.  They weren't, but then I glanced over at a slightly smaller tree nearby and saw their nest.  How I had missed it before I don't know. It is several feet across and very high. No wonder they look at me in a very suspicious manner when I stop to take their photo.  They have a lot at stake with a home to protect.

 

Needles to say, I will be watching this for further developments.  I'll keep you posted if there is anything to report.

Visiting Grannysaurus

First you borrow Grandma's great big "choppers" and carefully prune some palm trees.

Mummy gets nervous about the "choppers", but she is out shopping.

Then you create a cosy nest out of the palm leaves and a big cushion.

Note: of course you remove your boots while you are in your nest.

Next, while you are lying on the ground with your eyes closed, resting from your labour and enjoying the moment, your little brother stomps on your head with his new crocodile boots.

In spite of his protests of, "...but I said zorry", little brother still does serious time out.

He is not pleased about his "sentence".

When he is "released" he gives you a big hug and says, "I zorry". You hug him back to show there are no hard feelings and, while you hold him close, you tickle him with your palm leaf.

Then you both run around hugging, tickling and giggling until it's time to leave.

A Butt Fly nested in my hair

My dear little Dragon had one of these butterflies that fell down from the ceiling in the guest room. He was holding it up, pretending it was flying and landing on various objects while making butterfly noises (???) - a sort of squeaky chirp according to Dragon.

Eventually it "landed" on my head and Dragon giggled as he helped it create a nest of my hair and told me, "The butt fly is nesting in your hair".