Well, the Cuties are now flying to me when I whistle, all three of them, and for the next month the yard will be full of shama activity with all five of them after us when we're outside. We'll try not to overfeed them, so they have to learn proper foraging on wild insects and stuff.
I've also noted that nobody is reading this blog, and Susie hasn't been posting anything, so I'm going to largely stop posting any text or pix. This is probably the fate of most blogs at a time when everyone has one. But life is short, and no sort of immortality is more imaginary than that conferred by a blog nobody reads.
I'll leave it up in case Susie decides to ever write anything else, and because it's no effort to leave it up.
So if at some future date. you happen upon this brief fossilized peek into a past time and place, you're welcome to it. Like the birds, I'll live it for the moment and not worry about capturing the events for posterity.
all best
DJW 6/25/20
Originally posted on Nextdoor about 2 months ago.
ReplyDeleteOur wild Shama pair hatched two chicks. One must have fledged yesterday. Found it dead on the rock wall in our back yard. No evidence of trauma from a predator like a mongoose or cat. The second fledged today. It flew to perch on top of a chair near where I was sitting. Then flew off to the lawn taking shelter under an Areca palm. Next thing I know, a Myna bird is attacking the chick. I intervened and eventually the chick flew away. Seemed unhurt. Hours later she was perched in a tree nearby with Mom standing by closely and Dad in the area. I guess the next few days will be critical to it's survival. She looks healthy, even plump.
Today.
The surviving chick is healthy and seems to be thriving. The father seems to be driving it away. As I read their breeding biology this would be about the time for them to go. Nevertheless, it comes for a feed each morning. I've been giving it 3 meal worms from my hand and three live crickets on the ground. The rest of the day the chick is foraging on it's own. I've become attached to these birds. A nice distraction during these pandemic times.
Thanks so much for posting about your Shamas. Very happy to reconnect with you. I'd been wondering how yours were doing. So sorry to read about the loss of the chick. We've had a very traumatic summer with the loss of several chicks who we had become very fond of. There was only one that hatched from the previous clutch, Spunky, who was developing personality and we were excited to know him. However he was attacked, no idea by whom. Don tried to save him but he was too far gone. So sad. Now there are three chicks and the parents seem very attentive whereas earlier in the summer they seemed to tire of taking care of them. Currently the father is feeding two in the Heliconia patch which is right outside our fence and Birdlet is flying across the street to a big tree. We assume that Bird is taking care of two boys, who are nicknamed "Billy" and "Bob" and that Birdlet is feeding a girl as has happened before. Brandeine is the girl chick who we hope to meet one day. The parents have not yet lured any of these chicks to our balcony. Hopefully soon.
ReplyDeleteFeel free to post photos too!
DeleteReally happy to have others to share our Shama observations with and to learn from theirs. Mahalo !!!
ReplyDelete