A Cute Baby Bulbul on Tecoma Stans

Tecoma stans never disappoints, producing lovely canary yellow blooms throughout the year, rain or shine.

Its a low maintenance plant, needing a slight pruning once in a while to keep it trim and neat.


This bush of Tecoma stans has played host to many bird nests, so its no wonder that fledglings are commonly seen on it.





I spied this solitary baby bird perched forlornly on a branch of Tecoma stans.





The Bird's nest fern below the branch seems the perfect foil for chilling out.

 
 
 
It perked up after a while and appeared ready to face  the world.


The striae leads the flower fly into its inner sanctum.

Having fully indulged, it crawled on the soft velvety petals to exit.

Bulbul Fledlging and Red Hibiscus Rosa sinensis

Cute little Bulbul fledglings were seen learning to fly and fend for themselves. They could barely fly, let alone forage for food.

This 'toddler' sat on top of a ledge of the concrete fencing. It appeared rather lost and forlorn.

Suddenly, it stood up and chirped loudly.

The source of its excitement was the arrival of mummy bird with a morsel of food in her mouth. It looked like a green berry harvested from my shrubs.

A soon as the feeding was done, mummy flew off, leaving the young one to its own device.

Here it perched and rested under the dappled sunlight, framed with foliage and a single red hibicus.


Not long later, the preening started ... 


and continued ...

to other parts of the body. A good pecking was done all over.

Strangely, it then began to peck at its feathers, laying bare a patch of pink skin.

Plucked down feathers were carelessly casted off.

My concern was about the bare patch on the left side 

When the preening was done, it laid down on its side to soak in the glorious morning sun.

It was then ready to face the day. Attempts at flying take top priority. 


Hibiscus rosa sinensis

An Orange-eating Bulbul

The Yellow-vented Bulbuls eats berries and small fruits. They also sip nectar, nibble on young shoots, and take some insects.

I saw this Yellow Vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus goiavier) on a branch of the casuarina tree and decided to lure it closer to me for some near shots. 


Taking a leaf from a post by lronglim, I planted a sliced mandarin orange on the wall. It soon flew down and did not waste anytime indulging itself.

I placed the other half on the ground, but what appeared was a monitor lizard skink (as pointed out by Ang 1, thanks).

It ran off when I approached with my intruding lens.


 

 
Having satiated its apetite, the Bulbul flew up to a post to enjoy the view of the garden without any fear of predators.

Hibiscus-seeking Bulbuls

Yellow Vented Bulbuls (Pycnonotus goiavier) love to visit Hibiscus plants, to partake of its sweet offerings or merely to perch and chill out.


To access the sweet nectar, the Bulbul will perch on the stem just behind the flower stalk. It then insert its beak into the base of the flower and drink long and hard.

  A red Hibiscus rosa sinensis from a bush in my garden.

When satiated, they like to perch on its stems and branches to soak in the filtered sunlight.

They often hang out in pairs. Male and females birds are  similiar in plumage.

Most of the time it is really easy to spot them as I have many Hibiscus plants. 


This bush was propagated from a cutting.


Its flowers point upwards while ... 

the flowers of this species (our national flower) point downwards.