Leaving the nest…

Trinket Canlas shares the joys of backyard birding ... (A cross-post from fellow Birding Adventure Philippines' blogger Trinket Canlas) i absolutely love seeing (& watching of course) fledglings with their parents in the garden! it means that the cycle of life is still in motion, and that my neighborhood is still a welcome place for the birds. this year, the pied fantails seem to have only one fledgling... there's only one persistent young bird continuously badgering its parents. it's amusing how they would fly in circles around our house, taking off to the right and appearing a minute later from the left! a couple of years ago, there were 5 fledglings in hot pursuit of their dad/mom! it must be a never ending "feed me! feed me!" for these committed parents. but this young one has learned fast and has become quite an expert in snatching flies and other goodies from just above the grass. its graceful maneuvers are mesmerizing, with loud clicks of the wings (beak? i could never figure it out) with each turn. still, nothing beats begging for free food from mom/dad!

right on time for rambutan season, adri & i were delighted to see this pair of Colasisis feasting voraciously on the first fruit to ripen! as with every year, these little parrots were oblivious to our staring eyes. little wonder, since their red and green blend perfectly with the rambutan tree. it's difficult to spot them once they land if not for their noisy chatter which gives them away! adri had a grand (and intense!) photo op last weekend with this pair. the immature bird playfully lives up to its name of Philippine Hanging Parrot.

i suppose these fledglings will stay with their parents for a few more weeks after leaving the nest, learning to find food and avoid predators and interact with others of their kind: survival camp for the birds. and the cycle continues... Happy birding everyone!