My fine feathered friends.... (1)

I've always loved birds. When I was a little kid, I remember my uncle Dan
catching a sparrow for me. My mommy put it in her rattan market basket for me and I covered the top with cardboard from my school pad paper. I remember feeding the little bird with some rice grains and then bringing it to my room so I can gaze at it before going to sleep. I was so sad when I saw the poor bird stone cold dead the following morning.

The next time Onka Donka (my mom's nickname for Uncle Dan) managed to catch another sparrow for me, I decided to put little sparrow in market basket behind the refrigerator where it's warm and comfy. (Remember how we used to hang damp clothes behind the refrigerator during rainy days so these would dry quickly?)

Well that sparrow, being the wild bird that it was, lived for only two days. I'm sure it died of heartache at not being able to fly free with the other sparrows...
But I did manage to have another bird for a pet (when it was still more politically correct to keep them). I had Pikoy, my blue naped parrot I got as a present from my then Dutch boyfriend Peter once upon a long time ago. Pikoy, who used to be one of a pair (the other one managed to escape its cage in the old KMP office in Maningning), stayed with us for many many many years, bringing joy and companionship to my parents in Los Banos.

So being an avid birder and photographer, I am excited by the variety of birds here in Kenya (more than 1,000 species according to "Birds of East Africa" by C.A.W. Guggisberg, 1985). I do not have to go on safari (Kiswahili for journey) to watch and take photographs of these beauties. These birds are just in the garden, on the deck of the house, and just about everywhere here in Nairobi and Kenya.

Red-cheeked Cordon Bleu © Marlene C. Francia 2007

Now, this dashing gentleman is Mr. Red-cheeked Cordon Bleu.
He's very cute. He's about 9 cm long and he loves millet seeds.
He always travels with the missus.
If you see him, his mate will not be far behind.

This graceful bird on the other hand is the Scarlet-chested Sunbird. I chanced upon him outside the office window feeding on the nectar of aloe blossoms. Brilliant, huh?

The metallic blue speckles on his scarlet chest is diagnostic for this little sweetheart.









I have started putting out millet seeds, bananas, papayas (also called pawpaws here in Kenya), suet, and sugar water to entice more birds in the deck at home. Already I have managed to attract Ring-necked Doves, Baglafecht Weavers, Northern Olive Thrushes, Sunbirds, Buntings, Seedeaters and of course, the ubiquitous squirrels......

Baglafecht Weaver,  © Marlene C. Francia 2007

This brightly colored chap is Mr. Baglafecht Weaver.  Its mate sports a black forehead. I always know they're around because their calls sound like they're playing computer games.