Its a Common Tailorbird afterall!

Thiam happened to chance upon a book on Southeast Asia Birds. Cleverly he discovered the actual name of the bird, Common Tailorbird (Orthotomus sutorius) instead of Long-Tailed Tit as posted earlier.

See how Common Tailorbird weave its nest, http://jaimeboey.blogspot.com/2009/03/spirit-of-nature.html

See Common Tailorbird's eggs in its new nest, http://jaimeboey.blogspot.com/2009/04/long-tailed-tits-making-home-with-us.html

See how Common Tailorbird hatchlings and its feeding, http://jaimeboey.blogspot.com/2009/04/upclose-personal-with-hatchlings.html

Also found the name of bird who eavesdroped neighbour's phone call conversation on Apr-18,'09. It's called Yellow-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus goiavier). To watch the video at http://jaimeboey.blogspot.com/2009/04/long-tailed-tits-making-home-with-us.html

Sparrows @home with Us

Goodbye Tailorbird, Hello Sparrow!

Tailorbird hatchlings left its nest, quite a miss to watch for its first flight. But our disappointment masked by a joy of excitement, as we watched sparrows nesting in our roof. Bird-watch in our garden continues ...

Caught red-handed for stealing our coco-peat. Original 1-minute clip was edited to 50 seconds of interesting footage.

Nest-in-making progress. (Watch it trying to stuff coco-peat into their new home, doing a twirl for the camera and loosing its balance with a heavy twig in its beaks.) Original 2-minutes clip edited to 1.5-minute.

Sparrows taking a breather. (Watch it gasping for air and fanning itself to cool down then recharge its energy as it leans on the wall.) After that, they began plucking leaves and twigs from our Lantanas. Original 10.5-minutes clip edited to 3-minutes.

Feeding our guppies. Watch the rippling effects on water - 24 seconds.

Upclose & personal with the hatchlings

Update Jun-13,'09: It is Common Tailorbird (Orthotomus sutorius), not Long-tailed Tit - typically found in shrubs and gardens. Tailorbirds get their name from the way their nest is constructed (the edges of a large leaf are pierced and sewn together with plant fibre or spider's web to make a cradle) in shrubs. It lays 3–5 eggs. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Tailorbird

Busy pair of Long-tailed Tit (excited parents) (refer Update Jun-13,'09) flying to & fro - in every 5 minutes average, each bringing food (small insects) to feed their young hatchlings. Starting wee hours of morning until sunset. Phew! It's a tiring work!



A close-up of one of the hatchlings, with formed wings (hatched a week before), tried flapping in restlessness, while its eyes still closed. Ever-hungry and waiting anxiously for food.

We're guessing the growing hatchlings could learn to fly in another 2 weeks.

Update Jun-13,'09: Wonder what it is like at night? This guy is superb; he videotaped its nest at night. Watch how quite & still the Tailorbird on video 'Tailorbird Nest III'. Spooky eh? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5fH4znW6t0

Tailorbird @home with Us

Update Jun-13,'09: It is Common Tailorbird (Orthotomus sutorius), not Long-tailed Tit - typically found in shrubs and gardens. Tailorbirds get their name from the way their nest is constructed (the edges of a large leaf are pierced and sewn together with plant fibre or spider's web to make a cradle) in shrubs. It lays 3–5 eggs. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Tailorbird

Tailorbird grows to about 13 cm (about 5 in) in length and feeds primarily on small insects. Its characteristically stitch leaves together with plant fibers to make nests - stabs the edges of one or more broad leaves with its needlelike bill, threads vegetable fibers through the holes, and draws the leaves together, making a cuplike pocket. The nest is lined with grass or other soft material. The female typically lays three to six eggs. http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761587895/Tailorbird.html

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A close up of Tailorbird returning to its nest-in-making (Apr-4). We're updating its name, suppose to be Common Tailorbird instead of Long-Tailed Tit (Jun-13).

Spotted a couple of eggs, size about sen 50 - (Apr-6)

If you're wondering, a month ago, we've spotted a couple of Long-Tailed Tit (size 2-inch body with a tail 3-inch long) (refer Update Jun-13,'09), makes the loudest chirps - equivalent decibels to the ringing from an old fashioned alarm clock. It's amazing to think that loudness coming from a minute bird.

Long-tailed Tits (refer Update Jun-13,'09) are found in deciduous woodlands with significant undergrowth. This is a restless species, constantly on the move as it searches for insects and other small food items http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long-tailed_Tit

This monogamous pair decided to nest amongst our shrubs (2-3 feet tall); stealing our coco-peat from our "Sui Mui" (Water Jasmine) pot - see video up-close with Long-Tailed Tit (refer Update Jun-13,'09)

It guards its nest by distracting suspected predators (or any moving objects, e.g. human being like myself) towards itself. Chirping ever loudly from a distant tree. It certainly wakes up the neighbourhood street!

We're so excited having newcomers (baby Long-Tailed Tit (refer Update Jun-13,'09)) yet it can be so annoying when I am weeding and clearing the flower-beds for hours.

Long-tailed tits join top ten in RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch survey http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article5970549.ece

Close-up of a bird perched (on our front fence) for as long as 30 minutes - observing, listening, twitching, scratching, etc. Emmotions shown through its head actions. Such a darling!

I wished to know the name of this bird.

Update Jun-13,'09: It is called It's called Yellow-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus goiavier). Somehow we couldn't tell if it has a yellow bottom on this video clip *grins.

It is found in a wide variety of open habitats, but not deep forest. It is one of the most common birds in cultivated areas. They appear to be nomadic, roaming from place to place regularly.
The Yellow-vented Bulbul builds a well-camouflaged but fragile, loose, deep, cup-shaped nest from grass, leaves, roots, vine stems, and twigs. The nest is untidy on the outside, but it is neatly lined with plant fibers. it may be built in a wide range of places from low bushes to high trees. This is a species adapted to humans and may even nest in gardens. The Yellow-vented Bulbul lays 2-5 eggs in February to June. They eat berries and small fruits. They also sip nectar, nibble on young shoots, and some insects.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow-vented_Bulbul

"Spring would not be spring without bird songs" - Francis M. Chapman

"A bird does not sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song" - Chinese Proverb

"Use those talents you have. You will make it. You will give joy to the world. Take this tip from nature: The woods would be a very silent place if no birds sang except those who sang best" - Bernard Meltzer

Spirit of Nature

Update Jun-13,'09: It is Common Tailorbird (Orthotomus sutorius), not Long-tailed Tit - typically found in shrubs and gardens. Tailorbirds get their name from the way their nest is constructed (the edges of a large leaf are pierced and sewn together with plant fibre or spider's web to make a cradle) in shrubs. It lays 3–5 eggs. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Tailorbird
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Interesting quote; "I am in the habit of looking not so much to the nature of a gift as to the spirit in which it is offered." – Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894)


Sighted today - a nest amongst Sanchezia Speciosa (see 'Patio'), so small possibly made by small birds (black upperside with yellow belly), about 3-4 inches in height. Its size and shape like a Finch, a Wren or a Flycatcher, or maybe a Nuthatch. I did a search, but couldn't find its closest resemblance http://natureimages.net/oiseaux/birds.html

After 2 days of the empty nest, we had a good view of the little bird again, followed by its partner a minute later. Looks like the Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus). (refer to update Jun-13,'09)

1. http://www.bto.org/gbw/Species/BIRDS_LOTTI.htm
2. http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/families/longtailedtits.asp

Making its presence felt from its gregarious chirps (louder than treehouse sparrows') - surprisingly from a very small frame. So small and light that springy Sanchezia shrub could support its weight. Finally satisying our curiosity, it hopped about, acrobatically, to inspect it's nest-in-making. Quite a smart fella, it could strip thin long leave from our Manila palm to make its nest.

Also a new and friendly dragon fly, almost 3 inches long from head to tail. It stayed on our Snake Plant (Sansevieria trifasciata) for that day.


Up Close & Personal with Long Tail Tit (refer to update Jun-13,'09) ; footage caught it red-handed for pinching coco-peat from a pot of Sui Mui (Wrightia Religiosa).




Update Jun-13,'09: Tailorbird grows to about 13 cm (about 5 in) in length and feeds primarily on small insects. Its characteristically stitch leaves together with plant fibers to make nests - stabs the edges of one or more broad leaves with its needlelike bill, threads vegetable fibers through the holes, and draws the leaves together, making a cuplike pocket. The nest is lined with grass or other soft material. The female typically lays three to six eggs. http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761587895/Tailorbird.html

Sparrows in the morn

Watch how close it hops towards the camera. Aren't they tame? They've been our tenants on our roof top, who replaced a couple of Common Mynas (Acridotheres tristis), since we moved in.

The Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus) is approximately 12.5–14 cm long. Two distinct though narrow white bars cross the brown wings. The sexes are practically alike. The Tree Sparrow's call is a shorter chip, and the song, consisting of modulated chirps, is more musical. Their songs are said to be consistently in the key of G Major. A domed nest, like that of the House Sparrow, is sometimes built in the old nest of a Magpie or other bird. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tree_Sparrow