Barbet nests are the most unconventional ones . So much so that even if you spot one of those you can't be sure it is a barbet nest unless you see a live bird sitting on it ... or sitting on the threshold . At least this nest has a threshold kinda thing . I spotted a barbet during my morning walk and as i was following the bird i noticed him/her hopping over to another tree and the next hop took him to a hole in the trunk . Now i wanted a picture , the bird hastily flew away and perched himself over a telephone wire nearby .
I examined the nest while the birdie sat here...looking at me with the corner of his eyes...
Another one comes to the drumstick tree in my garden . Probably picks up worms, i don't think barbets eat flowers or pollen or nectar ....but hey now i know they eat small fruits...
Their movements are very swift , not like pigeons . Pigeons are clumsy and make sloppy sounds when they take off or set their feet somewhere....Barbets are swift and quick....
See how this one is calling out loud to someone ...or they make this gesture to sense something ... as i see them opening the beak wide and pointing upwards ... the call is not very loud and no other bird seems to come after that.... as with bulbuls you see the other one coming as soon as one sends a call...
Calling again....or just opening up his sensors ?
I have mostly seen the barbets alone . Even around the nest i didn't notice any family though do not stay there for long...studying their behavior and knowing more about them is so intriguing . The more you get to know the more you want to know...
A family of Babblers was teaching a young chick flying in the evening today and it was pure joy watching them . The kido looked like a lazy dumb who wouldn't listen to the parents . He got himself perched on the Ashwagandha plant in my backyard and that is when i thought of clicking some pictures . Will share some pictures but i am worried about the kido now after about 6 hours of this sighting . The chick is still sitting on the same branch of the Ashwagandha plant and is not moving , looks like sleeping but i am worried about some cats or dogs coming and attacking him . I know what i am going to do first thing in the morning ... Will keep you posted...
I examined the nest while the birdie sat here...looking at me with the corner of his eyes...
Another one comes to the drumstick tree in my garden . Probably picks up worms, i don't think barbets eat flowers or pollen or nectar ....but hey now i know they eat small fruits...
Their movements are very swift , not like pigeons . Pigeons are clumsy and make sloppy sounds when they take off or set their feet somewhere....Barbets are swift and quick....
See how this one is calling out loud to someone ...or they make this gesture to sense something ... as i see them opening the beak wide and pointing upwards ... the call is not very loud and no other bird seems to come after that.... as with bulbuls you see the other one coming as soon as one sends a call...
Calling again....or just opening up his sensors ?
I have mostly seen the barbets alone . Even around the nest i didn't notice any family though do not stay there for long...studying their behavior and knowing more about them is so intriguing . The more you get to know the more you want to know...
A family of Babblers was teaching a young chick flying in the evening today and it was pure joy watching them . The kido looked like a lazy dumb who wouldn't listen to the parents . He got himself perched on the Ashwagandha plant in my backyard and that is when i thought of clicking some pictures . Will share some pictures but i am worried about the kido now after about 6 hours of this sighting . The chick is still sitting on the same branch of the Ashwagandha plant and is not moving , looks like sleeping but i am worried about some cats or dogs coming and attacking him . I know what i am going to do first thing in the morning ... Will keep you posted...
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sangeeta, your house seems to be store house of birds, it is copper headed barbet or copper smith barbet? U would have seen a nest in my picassa, the parents are very responsible, they make the sound like a coppersmith working and knocking his tools and hence the name, beautiful colours in one single bird, red, brown, green yellow and black. when they noise, their throat bulbs out and the head will knock in the air,lovley birds. There is another barbet called the brown headed barbet usually 25 cms long while the copper smith ones are between 15 and 18 cms.The same bird which came to ur garden few months back and which i thought , would be either searching for a dead log in a tree or already has one, so enjoy Their feeding is spectacular, the chick will grab the feed and puch the parent if they come empty handed, Pl see Dr jaganpannala in flicker for more clear visuals of different birds
ReplyDeleteThanks Nirupama ...you are becoming my guide to birdwatching :)
ReplyDeleteYes this a brown headed barbet , i am correcting the name in the text now :) I have not seen the feeding behavior still , looking out for more of them . The copper smith barbet was the one who came last year but this year i didn't see any of them :(
I love your bird pictures too and you are such a knowledgeable birdwatcher ... my pictures are not as clear but i like watching them anyways ... my camera is not good for distant subjects :(
Barbets i have noticed feed on fruits, i ve seen a barbet picking up a fruit from a peepul tree near my house, since their nesting ends by april, we will be able to spot them moreby next september only, so sangeeta, it is one of our favorite birds, so this long message
ReplyDeleteEven i realize now that they like eating small fruits , they are on the neem tree too as it is the flowering season. Long comments are the ones i like most :)
ReplyDeleteAwesome pictures!!!!!! The eyes remind you of sesame street characters :) The third and the fourth are my favs...it's so amazing to live surrounded with such an amazing variety of life around you!!
ReplyDeleteThank you IHM ...yes it is amazing to live with nature .
ReplyDeletebeautiful pictures .. and I admire the way you take time out to click the pictures and then post and share it with all of us we also get to see such lovel ycreatures.
ReplyDeletebeautiful
Bikram's
sangeeta, I am no guide, i know only about a few birds, did u go thro dr jangans photos, by the way how big is ur garden?
ReplyDeleteNirupama...you and IHM are the two pwoplw who motivate me to post my bird pictures here. Otherwise i have been just enjoying the birds and not clicking many pictures . Moreover my pictures are very noisy and blurred as compared the the pictures posted on the internet by avid birdwatchers . Yes i saw Dr Jagan's pictures and they are just awesome.
ReplyDeleteMy garden is around 25by 40 feet in the front and about 1/4 in the backyard ..we live in a Government campus and there are many trees around . Moreover the ridge of Delhi , which is considered the lungs of this city is just a stone's throw away . I am lucky i know...there is no moment in the day when i am not hearing one or the other bird around...i know them by their call mostly.
I miss having a good DSLR camera but that is way too expensive for us right now :)
The two people ...my typos are just impossible :)
ReplyDeletePictures are really awesome........mind blowing... what I really appreciate is your patience, to shoot birds with camera is not easy. Good job.
ReplyDeleteha ha Tapati...do you think i am a patient person?
ReplyDeleteits just that the birds are making my life beautiful right now...
That is so true . The more you get to know the more you want to know...
ReplyDeleteTheir beaks are pretty long (for the body)
It must have been very satisfying observing them.
बहुत सुंदर - धन्यवाद्
ReplyDelete