Home renovation and housekeeping chores is an on-going process that nesting parents perform and share duties to accommodate their growing hatchings.
Removal of waste was observed to be carried out several times a day; either simultaneously after feeding their young or during patrols on ‘AveWaste Express’ and disposed off a distant flight away (left).
It was also noted in a couple of instances, chick poo and contents were dropped off from their favourite perch of the Albizia (Paraserianthes falcataria) tree.
While Goggle-Eye, the female Coppersmith Barbet (Megalaima haemacephala) was entrusted to spend more time providing sorties of delicious figs and berries throughout the day, Blowfish usually initiated a couple of joint trips in the mornings and again before sundown.
The rest of the time, Blowfish conscientiously took on his primary role of sentry duties. Sometimes it got boring and he was seen yawning. He showed a black tongue (below).
His duty began smoothly and steadily on his favourite perch where his outpost- the Albizia tree, overlooked 100 metres away from the nesting site.
This was soon going to change as my observation turned into frenzy confusion. I was seeing three barbets on the nesting tree!
Who was who? A curious competitor of Blowfish has showed up and a showdown was just about to begin.
Curiosity Joe was seen creeping from behind the branch and reached out for a ‘look-see’. He then crawled round the cavity entrance and stuck his face into the nesting cavity to have a peep. Goggle-Eye was at home (below left).
Blowfish swiftly swooped towards the nest and confronted Curiosity Joe with karate leg stunts and gave out a two note angry call, like a furious, noisy woman chasing the ‘other woman’ with broom, sending the latter to flee!.
Blowfish leant his lesson quickly. From that day onwards, it was observed his sentry outpost was shifted to a mere two metres from the nesting cavity and not 100 metres away as observed earlier (above centre). He got switched on. The slightest cross-over of a resident squirrel species to another tree would send Blowfish on an attack mode. The latter would fly and swipe passed the scurrying creature (above right).
Even a buzzing bee was an insult to Blowfish. He tried to catch it with his beak. Sentry duty is a serious business for this macho guy (below left)!
But, he was a bit careful who to take a swipe at when having to share tree with the big boys- House crows (Corvus splendens) and Black-naped Orioles (Oriolus chinensis).
It was interesting an observation which I could not understand for a moment why Blowfish was seen to be chasing after Goggle-Eye, the latter with fruit in beak. When they got to a branch together, Goggle-Eye surrendered the fruit to Blowfish who then flew into the nest. A blurry image issued.
It happened so quickly (above: centre & right).
Has Goggle-Eye lost her nerve to enter home after having been startled by Curiosity Joe’s face staring down at her?
“What’s next Avian Writer?”
Showtime is next in Part 7 to wow at the power of flight by the ubiquitous pair.
AVIAN WRITER DAISY O’NEILL PENANG MALAYSIA
Of Sani-Sentry Duties & Coppersmith Barbets (Part 6)
All images by digiscopy technique
Optics used: Fieldscope ED82 +30x + P3/P4
bird cages
Awesome pictures! Coppersmith Barbets are one of my favorite birds. Keep up the good work!