Some anecdotes not captured photographically.
Throughout the time they were around, I did not need alarm clocks as they would create a racket with the million different types of sounds that mainas make. They also caused me to sometimes wake up and smile, without even opening my eyes. Just the knowledge that they were around made the whole world better.
The building is quite a tedious process. They actually do jodo-ofy the house, tinka-tinka ikattha kar ke ( putting it together stick by stick). During this process, the female maina I think, is in the driver's seat. She would be present constantly, like a supervisor. Her partner would bring a stick, look at her and bob his head a little as if seeking approval. She would then make a "trrr" type sound after which he would make his way into the shoe-box to fit it in somewhere. It was real teamwork. And also extremely cute.
Once the eggs had hatched, the male didn't just fly off to find another mate. He stuck around, and often came and stood just outside the shoe box calling to his female. She would then come out, and let him go in to see the eggs he had helped make. Most lovely.
Mainas who choose to come and live near me, are bound to get five star treatment. They were given fresh water in a small clay diya every morning, and spoilt senselessly with various delicacies ranging from light and not very sweet Marie biscuits, to coconut cookies, to butter cookies, to chocolate cream filled cookies. Also, they didn't seem too impressed with me when I gave them brown bread. Who would be, after all this?
They also managed to, a number of times, tilt the diya over causing all the water to fall all over the cookie crumbs making a sick little mess on the ledge of the window. And yes, I scolded them a little for the same. Not the first time, not the second time, but the third.
All the eggs did not hatch. Only one did. There was some noise and squeaking for some days after which there was silence. One fine day, they were all gone.
The shoe-box remained though.
And we are most delighted to share that it is now home to another maina couple, and three fine little pearly white eggs.
Throughout the time they were around, I did not need alarm clocks as they would create a racket with the million different types of sounds that mainas make. They also caused me to sometimes wake up and smile, without even opening my eyes. Just the knowledge that they were around made the whole world better.
The building is quite a tedious process. They actually do jodo-ofy the house, tinka-tinka ikattha kar ke ( putting it together stick by stick). During this process, the female maina I think, is in the driver's seat. She would be present constantly, like a supervisor. Her partner would bring a stick, look at her and bob his head a little as if seeking approval. She would then make a "trrr" type sound after which he would make his way into the shoe-box to fit it in somewhere. It was real teamwork. And also extremely cute.
Once the eggs had hatched, the male didn't just fly off to find another mate. He stuck around, and often came and stood just outside the shoe box calling to his female. She would then come out, and let him go in to see the eggs he had helped make. Most lovely.
Mainas who choose to come and live near me, are bound to get five star treatment. They were given fresh water in a small clay diya every morning, and spoilt senselessly with various delicacies ranging from light and not very sweet Marie biscuits, to coconut cookies, to butter cookies, to chocolate cream filled cookies. Also, they didn't seem too impressed with me when I gave them brown bread. Who would be, after all this?
They also managed to, a number of times, tilt the diya over causing all the water to fall all over the cookie crumbs making a sick little mess on the ledge of the window. And yes, I scolded them a little for the same. Not the first time, not the second time, but the third.
All the eggs did not hatch. Only one did. There was some noise and squeaking for some days after which there was silence. One fine day, they were all gone.
The shoe-box remained though.
And we are most delighted to share that it is now home to another maina couple, and three fine little pearly white eggs.
PS- Turns out it didn't end there. Story continues here
