The dark, gray clouds have hung in the sky for the last two days or so and have hardly drizzled even then. This morning was hardly any different as the day began with an overcast sky with sun peeping out at intervals resulting to a gross, moist atmosphere, and causing us to sincerely long for a hearty downpour. Thankfully, we weren’t let down because it rained – rather drizzled – enough to cool down. Just before that, cool breeze had begun to blow and to utilize the opportunity I stood by the window to let the air freshen me. Just as I was peering outside something caught my attention from the corner of my eyes as it flied past to the window in the next room. At that moment, it appeared to be a greenish bird with a long tail. As I was trying to decipher which bird it’d be a memory flashed across my mind – a few days ago I’d seen a small brown bird flying around the aforesaid window but at that time I hardly cared to look further, but now I kind of knew which bird it’d be. To make sure I was right I tiptoed to the window in the next and sneaked from behind the curtain… and there it was! My guess was absolutely correct; there in front of my eyes was a small brown bird with spotted breast and dark bill: a Spice Finch (Lonchura punctulata) 1 battling with a strip of grass, trying to weave it through the hexagon shapes in the window cage, around the corner. I guessed so because a pair of Spice Finch have been nesting in the nearby mango tree for the past few months and have also successfully raised a clutch of two (thanks to mum for keeping me updated with their activity from the kitchen window). I also suspect that they are the same pair I spotted in summer of 2009 in the same tree but at that time they mostly flitted around and didn’t nest there.
As I was admiring the bird, its partner showed up with a string of grass trying to weave as well. But, seeing their fruitless effort as the strings kept slipping off I understood why they’ve been visiting the window for almost a week or so but still haven’t finished building. I left them to their battle but at the same time I couldn’t help feeling a bit down seeing them work so hard without fruitful results. After an hour or so, I went to check their progress but the only thing I found was an empty space in the corner and an abandoned grass strip in the window sill. The drizzle had begun and somehow it felt that the chances of their return had washed away with it.
1. Spice Finch is also known as Scaly-breasted Munia, Spotted Munia or Nutmeg Mannikin. Learn More.