Sunbirds Had Left

The chicks have fledged, and the nest is now empty. It happened just a few days ago, less than 3 weeks from birth. I remembered getting up earlier than usual that morning, did my usual routine, and oblivious to what was about to unfold. Like every day before that, I would check out the nest the first thing when I woke up. Nothing particularly suspicious, and as amazed as the day before, I contemplated how the fragile and tiny nest could house three birds. Little did I know that was the last time I saw them. Yes, just like that..

However, we managed to capture one of the many feeding frenzies in the last few weeks in this video clip. Enjoy and be inspired.

Birthday Dinner at Home

Time flies. I can't believe how quickly it came and went. This is my second entry on the topic of my birthday celebration. So, I knew it has been a year since I started blogging. Given the current economy, we decided on a home celebration, and since it was my birthday, I was not to lift a finger. Yan did all the grocery planning and shopping, cooking and washing. After all, it was meant to be a treat for me. I must admit that I was a little stressed out watching him do his things in the kitchen. Precision and timing don't feature often in my cooking vocabulary, yet Yan, an engineer by profession, is exactly that type of cook. "Two minutes on each side of the steak", I heard him murmuring to himself.  I smiled and walked away.

He did impressed me in the end. The steak was cooked to perfection, with the right thickness and medium well.

He used some of my pesto sauce to prepare spaghetti mushroom as a main course for his mother, who's a vegetarian.

He baked a dozen escargot for a few minutes in the oven, which added an element of sophistication to the menu for the night.

And since I wasn't allowed to meddle in the cooking, I volunteered to set up the table in my favourite apple green and white theme.  

Baby Sunbird

It was a "National Geographic" moment.  I was proven right. Mama sunbird was indeed building a nest for its newborn. The nest houses two tiny chicks. Each day, Papa and mama sunbirds will take turn to feed the babies.  At night, only mama bird is seen returning to the nest to take care of the birds. The same routine is repeated each day. Very soon, the little chicks will fledge, and the entire family will migrate, leaving behind the lovely nest for remembrance.