Fauna: Hooded orioles is our neighborhood........

A few days back, of all the trees in our leafy neighborhood, a pair of orioles honored us by choosing to build a nest on the greater bird-of-paradise plant beside our kitchen. It took three days for the pale-feathered female to weave a hammock-like nest out of palm fibers, underneath the huge leaf. Once she laid the eggs, she incubated them with the determination of a meditation. All these time, the turmeric-yellow male, perched on the jacaranda tree, groomed himself, stood guard, and regularly brought a moth, a butterfly or a bee, for her to feed on. The eggs hatched, the hungry, featherless chicks emerged. Both parents shared the duty of tending to them, frantically bringing grubs. Looks like the chirping chicks will fly away in a week or so. In the next Santa Ana wind from the desert, the nest is likely to fall off. Tiny they are, but the birds gave a big lesson in sustainability and regard for the nature.....