Satuurday 27th: This morning the Gerygones are hard at work feeding a
squirming cheeping nestful when the Sunbirds return. One perches
"innocently" to feed on a nearby Heliconium; out comes Gerygone from nest
like a little fighter plane, sees him off ....then I notice that Sunbirds
are in fact a family, Mr. and Mrs. and a young male with only a small blue
spot under his chin. They hang around, hover at times very close to the
Gerygones' nest. There goes my theory that they're prospecting my verandah
for a nest site, so what are they up to?
Disaster! I am dressing by the window when the Gerygones appear to go crazy,
flapping and pecking at the nest.One has a pale feather in its bill. Are
they fighting?? No, the nest is collapsing; a tiny baby is falling through
the bottom. I catch it before it hits the deck and tie up the bottom of the
nest with a handy piece of broken shoe-lace. The baby is a tiny feathered
ball - I don't try to see if there are any more! The parents are going
hysterical. I am going away for the weekend very soon ......
The parents seem very unwilling to re-enter the nest......NO, he/she is in!
Una Stephenson.
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