Yes!!…. Again: A new flight of a life…
3 Nests in the year 2021
By Aaryan Bhalla
“A bird does not sing because it has an answer it sings because it has a song.”
Let me first introduce myself who don’t know me. I am Aaryan Bhalla and I am fond of nature and birding & like traveling too. I was fed up with studies because of my offline board exams of class 8 which we had to give in school and I wanted a break from my studies. 😏🤭but, I was feeling bored. 😐😑
You are going to will to read about the three nests in this article — Jungle babbler’s, Indian white eye, and Red-vented Bulbul’s nest and the knowledge about them too. I have seen several nests in 2020. But, even though all the pictures and the journey were wonderful, though.
Episode 1: The Jungle Babblers nest
It’s been almost a week since I noticed the manifold jungle babblers encompassing my home, roaming and encircling again and again in our mango tree. It looked strange.🤔🤔
However, I felt they may come to eat the leftover Bajra seeds, grapes, and Papaya which were served for them in their feeder bowl. 🤭😋
Eggs Hatched
Hatchlings
The babbler Chose My Back yard to throw the shells of her eggs when the hatchlings were born.
But it was something else. After three days on March 3, 2021, I saw a babbler taking the feed in its mouth. 😍🥰
The Nestlings
… And yes… again, Then listen to the sound of chicks coming from our mango tree. As I was trying to see 🐣 the chicks and nest. Suddenly, I saw the big nest through my monocular telescope. But, I could not see the chicks. The normal clutch is three or four.
I was so happy and surprised to see the nest in March only as this year summers arrived very early 😎 and the breeding season of birds has also started. 😊😊
The Nest
The first nest of jungle babblers
The first nest of the year- 2021
The first nest of the year was of jungle babblers and maybe three to four offspring were born on our mango tree, as per my prediction. ✌️👍
All the seven sisters were helping and supporting each other as they are social birds.☺️😊 One patrolling the nest and one feeding the little ones to make them strong. 😊😊 But, the problem is that we cannot see the babies 🐤 and the hatchlings as they made the nest on the cluster of branches on the top of the tree.🌳
That’s why I am estimating their amount three to four. I was hoping for the best that their tryst goes happily 😌 and prayed to God that no unwanted guest comes this time like the previous year. Somewhere, I noticed that the parents first eat the things chosen for as feed and taste themselves first.
Feeding continuously
Then, decide if to give it to the chicks. See how parents are tasting the papaya leftover pieces. Helpers assist the parents in feeding the young. Post-fledging survival is very high.
Absolutely, they are not selfish 😜 as you can see in the picture… how they are eating the papaya pieces. But, can see that one is eating, and another one is taking it for the chicks क्योंकि भूख तो सबको लगती है।
Episode 2:
March 6, 2021, Saturday
2nd Nest of Indian white-eye
The Indian white-eye bird always fascinates me. When I was cycling with my friend. My sight went on this as seen in the image above. 👆 I was glad as that was my second nest of the year and the fourth nest of the Indian white-eye bird seen till yet. ❤️ It was really a marvel which was filled with wonder when I suddenly saw the nest.
I saw a pair of this bird encircling an Ashoka tree again and again and saw the bird taking a twig in its mouth and saw her beautiful nest, found it was making its nest for the development of her new ones.
One can see how beautifully the nest is stitched using white cotton fiber and hidden through Ashoka leaves too just like a Common Tailorbird. 😚
But, the problem is that the nest was made far away from my home
near the edge walls of BKM Vishvas School, sector 9 Panchkula and I used to cycle there.☹️😔
Then I decided not to remain adhered to and glued to the nest as needed to concentrate on my studies too as the exams were not over though.😝:-)
My Joyful Encounter
March 9, 2021, Tuesday
Take off…
It was a delightful hour at 11. It was 11:52 when I went out and saw one chick of the babbler on the road. It surprised me to see it. My First Encounter with one of the chicks of jungle Babbler seeing its first flight from the nest was a beautiful sight.… was beautiful. Hope it’ll complete its life happily and cheerfully. 🙏👍
Take Off: The First Flight
Aww… wow see how it’s giving me a very nice eye close-up. I tried to find the chick, and I followed it and found it at the park’s grill by listening to the calls of the parents as you can see in the collage above these were the most beautiful captures and shots of the babbler’s chick.😍😍
It was allo preening itself using its little beak, which was good for maintaining its personal hygiene. ☺️😊 The observed overall survival of adult birds was 63% per annum, but that of the breeding males was 88% per annum. The population declined by 19% during the period of the study, suggesting that observed rates of survival may have been lower than normal.
March 10, 2021, Wednesday
Bye-Bye Forever.
I was roaming in the park after taking my science board exam from school. I listened to the sound of the chick and you can see how small that cutie was just 2 inches, was learning basic behavior and things from its parents that day. I was wondering if only one chick survived?🤔🤔
The jungle babbler lives in flocks of seven to ten or more. It is a noisy bird, and a flock may generally be known at some distance by the harsh mewing calls, continual chattering, squeaking, and chirping produced by its members. It is an exquisite bird and I hope it will always be noisy and chattery.
Whereas, I was able to see two to three chicks in the nest from monoculars. Yeah, maybe as their survival ratio is very low. Bye cute little chick, and never see it again after that day. Hope it flew away to make its own nest.😍
Episode 3 :
Third Nest
Saw the 2nd Nest red vented bulbul
The recce
Nesting Period Begins-14 Days
I was unable to see any eggs, parents, and incubation by the Indian white-eye bird at its nest and thought that may any cat or dog had come and made her scared and she could not lay her eggs there. 😨🥺😟
However, I saw a red-vented bulbul gathering some nesting material on the smaller mulberry tree of my park. Hoping for the best to see and realized that finally, it is looking for a suitable place to build the nest.❤️😌 The nesting probably started on March 5th.😮
Nesting
I followed her and found that she made her nest in the Mulberry tree in which the previous year the Indian white-eye bird made in the story- When I saw them with wings !!… 🙃🙂
This time I was aware and told the gardener of the park not to cut the bush.😦😯
March 24, 2021
Here are the bulbul eggs- 3 Eggs
Incubation Period Begins- 14 Days
I decided to capture the bulbul eggs as I saw her incubating the eggs and sitting on the nest and I used a stool from the vita booth for clicking the eggs. I clicked, clicked, and clicked. However, the first pictures were blurry and not clear and, probably the eggs were laid on the 19th of march.
The female laid three eggs, and my reaction was like “Oh! My God.” I was so happy. Finally! I took a nice and beautiful photo. The nest was cup-shaped as I expected. The eggs are pale-pinkish, with spots of darker red and maroon denser at the broad end. I decided not to disturb the mother now from incubating eggs and will meet the little ones only after their birth.🙆
The mother bulbul was incubating them continuously day and night until the little ones didn’t to be born, while the father bulbul supplied them with plenty of food during the process of 14 days. 😋😋
The Villain
April 1st, 2021
Rufous Treepie
An unwanted guest came- A Rufous treepie which is an omnivore bird that really loves to eat the eggs of different little birds that came that day may be in the nest’s search. 😨😱😥
But, both the parent’s bulbul screamed and bravely defended the dangerous treepie. Many birds have specific alarm calls, warning others about a predator.🥺😟
That’s how both the parents aggressively, started charging the treepie with the help of friends which helped them oppose the domination of the treepie.
Though these bulbuls are tiny, till so they succeed in shooing the treepie away.👍👍🙂
Lapwings and some other ground-nesting birds, with also red vented bulbul are also known to pretend that their wing is broken and drag themselves along the ground with cries of distress to lure potential predators away from nests and young.
It may come as a surprise to some but most larks and pipits are ground nesters too. I saw bulbul doing the same behavior for the treepie.
Some fellows also came to help the Bulbul to scram the treepie away — tailor birds, purple sunbirds, and mynas due to the danger calls bulbul produced.👂👂
Maybe the Rufous treepie thought that I didn’t succeed this time in search of a nest. However, enjoyed having a loquat fruit from a tree for lunch. 👅👅
Hatchlings Chicks
April 2nd, 2021
The First Chick
Will Take 14 Days…
Then, the joyful day came after the Holi on 2nd April. We respect animals as any living being and give them their space. Please note that all the photos of the eggs and hatching below were clicked when both the parents were away.🥰😍
The first little chick was born. I was super-excited to see its other siblings too tomorrow and the day after tomorrow.😄😄
It was the first time I saw the bulbul’s hatchling. However, it reminded me of my incomplete story of bulbul in my backyard which didn’t succeed. We all were happy, but a cat came in charge to have the eggs. 😓😔😞
Feeding Frenzy
April 4th, 2021
The Wings
The young hatchling that has recently emerged from the first egg got its wings so soon. Little-little sharp wings.
Both the parents supplied mulberries, insects, worms, fruits, and all the stuff continuously. The naked chick grew quick and wore the wings.
Whenever I clicked the photographs. I saw the chick opening its mouth as if saying that मां जल्दी खिलाओ बहुत भूख लगी है। The joy of this sight one should have to be experienced.
Eggs are infertile
Not hatched till now
April 7th, 2021
The other poor eggs didn’t hatch, maybe the embryo didn’t get the proper time or the new little chick died in the embryonic fluid of the egg. The ratio of survival rate is less and only one chick grew. It was very sad for the parents. Maybe the eggs were laid late. However, 14 days is complete and Hatching process is very important.
There is a high rate of egg and nestlings loss; 72% of eggs laid do not hatch and 53% of nestlings do not survive. Bulbuls have an extended period of parental care of fledglings and are unlikely to raise over one brood in a season.
The major reasons for breeding failures are generally unhatched eggs, weather conditions, and observer’s disturbance. But don’t worry, I observe them only when they were a little time out.
The Take Off
April 10, 2021: The First Flight
Bye-Bye
It was 10 the time for brunch when I went to click chick’s 11th day. I hooked the bush a bit, and the male threatened the female. The chick screeched for help after seeing the phone’s camera. Both the parents aggressively started defending me and charging at me, flying again and again onto my head until I went!!… It was adventuresome.
It was the first time I saw this rude and strange behavior by them. Initially, I was confused by this behavior and stayed back as I stressed them as only one chick survived from three. I realized why and now I was pleased and intrigued!
Again when I went the chick shouted and flew away, it was an exquisite first flight by the little chick grounded on the grass.
The chick was running on a low of energy and it was grounded immediately after its first flight attempt. The parents took it to a safer place near an Aak tree bush. Now the parents have to feed them like never to increase the strength of the little poor chick.
White eyes too!!…
Happy Ending: Conclusion
As you all already know that the Indian white eye didn’t lay her eggs in the nest I saw, Today I got to see the two little cute chicks of a white eye bird. It was lovely to its babies trotting in the park from a branch to another was really a very beautiful sight.
This article was written not only for fun but to share, aware, and encourage the beauty of new life and to break the myths that how it doesn’t matter whether it’s a bird or a human, the joy of new life is priceless. Thank you for reading.
“No bird can fly without opening its wings, and no one can love without exposing their hearts.”
Disclaimer: It is advised not to take photos or videos of bird nests from such close quarters. It disturbs and agitated the parents and also exposes the nest to predators. Usually, nesting photos are taken by birders with 300mm onward telephoto lenses while standing far away from the nests. Please stay safe and keep them safe too.
The Empty Nest
April 11, 2021
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After a few days…
