Adri and I were thrilled that the neighborhood Coppersmith Barbets decided to nest on a dead branch of a Flamboyant Tree (aka Fire Tree) right above our garage! Last year, the nest was in the corner across from us.
We had already noticed a pair inspecting a nest hole from its perfectly circular entrance as early as January, and we could here them calling: pok-pok-pok-ing loudly even before the sun as up. Although the nesting hole was just outside our bedroom window, a dry anahaw leaf conveniently hid the entrance from our view. From the garden at ground level though, the nest hole was in full view.
Through February and March, I would see them coming in and out of the nest hole quite regularly. I would make it a habit to glance at it right before I entered my car to leave for work in the morning (at least in March there was already enough light for me to see).
Most times one of the barbets would have its head out of the hole, looking around (and sometimes looking down at me - one inquisitive gaze at another!)
Mid-March, the pair would take turns at the nest, one calling out loudly upon arrival while the other would unobtrusively fly out as the newcomer flew in.
I lost track of them for a few weeks though, as I was busy at work and was out of town for a weekend.
This week, I was happy to see the nestling, in almost full adult plumage! It was still hanging out at the nest (literally!), and would fly to a nearby branch on the arrival of one of its parents.
The parents would come in with mouthfuls of fruit (looked like ficus fruit or lemoncito fruit) and call out (yes, with its mouth full!) to the young one.
The parent then would fly to where the young one was and the young one would quite violently grab all the food from mom/dad!
This weekend, the young one seems to have gotten the courage to fly further and further form the nest as it followed when one of the parents took off in search for more food.
So happy to see that the nesting looks like a success!
I'll probably get to see less and less of this family. It's still early in the season though, and I'm hoping there will be a second nesting soon.
How great is it to have nesting neighbors? I love sharing our yard with them!
IMPORTANT NOTE: NEVER harass nesting birds, expose the nest or stay within the nest area for extended periods of time. It may seem like common sense to keep away from nests, but sometimes curiosity can get the better of us.
It's always nice to read stories like this. Thanks Trinket for sharing <3
ReplyDeleteThank you Tina for the very nice words. I hope you will not tire of reading my kwentos. :-*
DeleteI was wondering whether the barbets I saw in the fruiting tree in Subic where parent/child or pair because I didn't see them mate. Would a parent feed the offspring away from the nest?
ReplyDeleteI think so. I saw a parent feeding away from the nest, but still on the same tree. Later they both flew of, with the fledgeling following the parent. The next morning they were back in the tree.
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