The Red-cheeked Cuckoo (Cuculus solitarius), perched high in the trees called repeatedly for three days. Known for its habit as a brood parasite, like all other cuckoos, the bird does not build a nest or raise its young. Instead, the female lays her eggs in the nests of other species.
Cuckoo eggs often resemble those of the host birds, helping them avoid detection. I continued to observe the thrushes as they incubated the eggs.
After hatching, the cuckoo chick begged loudly for food and received most of the attention from the foster parents. It grew rapidly and eventually pushed the other chicks out of the nest so it could receive all the food.
On the ground in my garden, smells and sounds become distinct and varied and smaller creatures take on greater significance. Two territorial birds, the Spotted Morning Thrush, were moving from one place to another, searching for grubs and insects. I have been watching these birds, my neighbours in the sky, for years; they reside and breed here in my garden. I hear them calling in the morning, as if telling me I have another day of miracles to be part of. Their songs, rich and flute-like, are always a welcoming gesture and the stillness of the environment helps their calls remain crisp and undisturbed.
In a nearby tree, the cuckoo continued calling. Then came a rare and exciting moment when it flew down briefly to a shrub before darting away. I rushed to the area to investigate and found a nest with eggs. I realised the cuckoo had slipped in to lay her egg in the nest of the resident Spotted Morning Thrush, unnoticed. The nest was a beautiful cup made from mud, holding three eggs.
Cuckoo eggs often resemble those of the host birds, helping them avoid detection. I continued to observe the thrushes as they incubated the eggs.
After hatching, the cuckoo chick begged loudly for food and received most of the attention from the foster parents. It grew rapidly and eventually pushed the other chicks out of the nest so it could receive all the food. The thrushes continued caring for the single, oversized cuckoo chick, unaware that it was not their own. I admire the beauty of cuckoos, but their brood parasitic behaviour makes them seem somewhat less endearing. Still, this is nature; they are simply birds of the air.
Nearby, on a shrub, a group of Speckled Mousebirds hung upside down, allowing the sun to aid digestion. They have unique, hair-like feathers and very long tails. These birds are notorious in my garden, consuming large quantities of leaves, buds, fruits and seeds. Farmers often dislike them, seeing them as destructive to crops.
Yet, on the other hand, they play an important role in the ecosystem, feeding on insects that harm agriculture and acting as vital seed dispersers.
