Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Corner View 9 Salalah




The theme os this week's Corner View is the view out of your back window or door. As the whole of mine is blocked by a great big new villa, I decided that the view out of my office's rear window and back door, which opens onto a balcony, would be more interesting.

For the last few weeks I have watched a Rüppell's Weaver making his nests and trying to lure females into them. I have become quite attached to this little fellow and have lived through the emotional rollercoaster of his life, cheered his triumphs and shared the sadness of his disasters. During this period he has made more than ten nests. They are all woven from the fronds of one coconut palm tree which he flies backwards and forwards to. Oddly, it is not the nearest one, but he only seems to want the palm fronds from that particular tree. He then ties a series of knots around a thin branch and weaves the globular-shaped nests which he suspends from it. The female bird, when he attracts one, then inspects the nests, chooses the best one and lines it with leaves and feathers.

Rüppell's Weavers, given the chance, will be polygamous. In spring, he briefly managed to attract two mates. One of them laid eggs, which hatched, and he divided his time between building new nests and helping her to feed the chicks. This was his best time. but, then one day, I stared out of the window and sensed that something was wrong. He was alone and looked crestfallen. The females had gone. On a large branch just behind him, I saw a metre-long lizard, with a red and black head. I guessed it must have eaten the chicks because the feeding stopped and the chicks never emerged.

Since then, he has made several new nests and when he has failed to attract a mate to them, he has destroyed them in frustration, then started all over again in an attempt to make new, improved versions. On a couple of occasions recently, female birds have looked inside his newest nests and he has got very excited, fluttering his wings like crazy in a mating dance. But, to be honest, his newest nests are not as big or as well-constructed as the earlier ones. I fear his mating season will end without him producing any further offspring. I hope I'm wrong because I know he would be so elated if he had a mate and a new batch of chicks to feed.

In the top photo, you can see him feeding his ill-fated chicks, in the second he is building a new nest and in the third you can see some of the sadly-unoccupied finished products.

Please visit the other Corner View bloggers:

jane, kim, ladybug-zen, ian, sunnymama, kyndale, samantha, karen, kristina, angelina, dorit, goldensunfamily, sophie, janet, nicki, ruth, mcgillicutty, desiree, di, travelingmama, aimee, bonnie, esti, sophie, cele, modsquad, caitlin, joyce, ani, couturecoucou, a day that is dessert, natsumi, epe, kaylovesvintage, trinsch, c.t.,jeannette, outi, schanett, ritva, dongdong, francesca, state of bliss, jennifer, dana, denise, cabrizette, bohemian girl, ruth, dianna, isabelle, amber, girl in the yellow shoes, mister e, janis, kari, jgy, jenna, skymring, elizabeth, audrey, allison, lise, cate, mon, victoria, crescent moon, erin, otli, amy, ida, caroline, lisa, dorte, kimmie, la lune dans le ciel, nicola, malo, vanessa, britta, virginia, april, rebecca, b, jenell, guusje, juanita, pamela, inna, daan, myrtille, cris , ibb, susi, jodi, lily, gillian, doobleh-vay

64 comments:

  1. Never seen so many nests in one spot. Guess there are no cats where you are?

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  2. An original (and cultural) corner view... Life seen by birds... In french, this bird is a "tisserand" (=weaver ;))
    20 years ago, I found a nest of weaver in Mauritius... I kept it until today like a real treasure !

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  3. now i´m hooked. i have to know if he gets his happy ever after... keep us posted:) besos-jane

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  4. I like how your corner views are not only educational but different and creative each week. Great job!

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  5. ooh
    great shots. i never saw nests like this!!
    they are so diferent and gorjeous!!

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  6. i liked him very much until i got to the part of the story which reveals his apparent infidelity - maybe if he would just be satisfied with one, he'd have her, plus the little ones, a great nest, and a lovely life - what's wrong with that? ... i do like the pictures, though, very, very much!

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  7. Oh Ian,

    I really enjoy visiting, not only are your photos beautiful, I feel like I walk away learning a thing or two. Thanks.

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  8. I love your flair for writing, meshed with amazing photographs. Like Joyce I come away learning new and interesting things.

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  9. The nests are amazing! I went with the view from my holiday apartment this weekend as it was so much more interesting than the back gardens of the tenement flats surrounding me!

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  10. This is a fabulous post Ian ! i read, fascinated, and almost cried when i read about the lizard and the bird being crestfallen and the poor baby birds !! your photos are gorgeous. and your words ... well, you have a gift.

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  11. Ian, I love this story, the vivid photographs, and the beautiful way it's written. Being a die-hard champion of the underdog, I am very curious as to the future of this gentle bird, and hope he finds the life and love he seeks.

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  12. oh my goodness! drama, drama, drama!

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  13. I am glad that someone else has birds outside their window that they have become attatched too. Although I must say your birds are much more interesting then mine. Great post!

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  14. hope they will be a happy ending to the story of your little friend ... photos are great !!

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  15. Hi Ian, thanks for stopping by my little blog! Love your photos and the story, and as I just love Frank Capra films, I hope there will be a happy ending!

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  16. oh my gods, what a drama! now i need to know how this ends..

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  17. your pictures are very great.

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  18. Thank for this fantastic story. I have never seen nests built like this before, fascinating!

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  19. what an amazing story - that poor little bird! I can understand why you feel attached to his dreams! His nests are beautiful - what a shame he destroys them - it would be lovely to have one as a memento.

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  20. Ian, thanks for sharing the triumphs and tragedies of these little weavers. What amazing architects they are! And all for love...or something...to keep the beauty going, perhaps?

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  21. I feel very sorry for the bird, but those are fantastic pictures. What an exciting thing to be able to watch right outside your window.

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  22. Oh my goodness - what a saga! I'm afraid I wouldn't get ANY work done at all if I had this for a view! Poor little guy - I hope all his work pays off SOMEHOW! Ghastly lizard!

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  23. amazing nests and amazing story. thank you(!) for sharing!
    nicola
    http://whichname.blogspot.com

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  24. I really liked this Corner! :)
    Thank you for your comment in my Antigua post. It felt really nice to know how much you like the place.

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  25. The nests are beautiful and i loved the story. Great view.

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  26. What an awesome post. And what a strange, terrible and wonderful world it is. Thank you for the amazing photos and education!

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  27. what an amazing little engineer~ those are quite lovely homes he has built!

    oh I would be so attached to the ongoings of that- how sad to think he lost his loves.

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  28. what a great post! he's quite a busy bee, this little fella, on many fronts ;) but he makes some beautiful nests. when it's all over, you must take one and save. such amazing architecture!

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  29. Fascinating! I would love to have that view from my window.. I have a slight bird collecting addiction.(Not real ones of course.. ha!)

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  30. very special and nice nests. and a great view from your office. wish you a happy week*

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  31. Great post Ian! I really like it as usual...
    thanks!!

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  32. Richard Attenborough couldn´t have told it better! ;)
    I was completely taken in by your little family guy story. Hope he will be happy little bird after all!

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  33. Awesome pictures and what a great lesson about the Ruppell's Weaver to go with them.

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  34. Very interesting! But you'll have to tell us what happens to him!

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  35. Oh, this is so fascinating!! Sad too. Amazing photos! Awesome post, Ian!

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  36. Ian - great idea to move to the office. The mating ritual reminds me of the Bowerbird who collects many items of all one color to attract mates. Amazing!!! Thanks for sharing. I've been loving your posts for a long time now. Cheers!

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  37. Beautiful photo's and story!

    You have a fascinating life and must have seen so much corners of the world.

    This afternoon i'll visit your bog again from my little corner and i'll read and see much more.

    Great!

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  38. I've never seen such a nest, it's all great! Thank you for that.

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  39. Awesome post, the nests are such and accomplishment for a little bird and how sad he lost the chicks.... keep us posted. My MIL sent me some pics of cardinals that hatched in her back yard.. I plan on posting them soon. Cheers.. Ali.

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  40. As a backyard birder, I found this post very interesting. Thanks for the most unique view!

    I just figured out who your "profile" photo looks like...the actor, Kenneth Branagh!

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  41. I love this story- and what beautiful nest!!
    As for your question; I haven't seen any oak tress but then again, I haven't looked for them either. But there has to be, right!? Or they'd have to change the name ;-)

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  42. Ian, this is just fascinating! What a beautiful bird and beautiful nests, my oldest couldn't get over the beautiful weaving he does. I hope all works out for the little hard-working guy!

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  43. These are beautiful bird nests! It's so amazing that they made their own nests!! I love your corner view!!

    ps. thank you for the birthday wishes! oxox

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  44. What a funny coincidence, Janis - somebody recently told me that my voice sounds exactly like his.

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  45. Great story to go along with your shots. We read about their nest building not too long ago - interesting to see it up close!

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  46. these little nests look like real artworks. seems like this brave bird lives by that famous beckett-quote "ever tried. ever failed. no matter. try again fail again. fail better." quite amazing!

    p.s.: thanks for your comment on my post. yes, berlin has changed incredibly since '89, but there are still many remnants from that time. and quite a few parts of the wall are still there and can be visited.

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  47. what a sad story!...I had never seen this kind of nest.

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  48. I learn something from your corner views every week. I like your pictures too.
    Thanks for sharing.

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  49. Hi Ian, really beautiful pictures on your blog!
    I love those weaver birds, how they weave them own little house...and this is your office back door?
    Wow! I feel a bit jealous!

    Susi

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  50. I have only seen that bird in children's picture books, your description of it is fantastic! We had a pair of warblers with chicks in an apple tree in our yard. Alas I think a hawk got the chicks. So sad, but I guess it is life.

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  51. Such lush greens and adventure outside your window. Thank you for the way you turned the view into a story too.

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  52. Thanks for sharing your story.. BTW, how I wish to see nests like these, too..^^

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  53. What a story ... I hope things will turn out ok for the little bird ... great pictures :-)

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  54. Beautiful pictures....www.missperfectblonde.com

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  55. What a wonderful corner view! I love the first picture especially :)

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  56. Hello Ian,
    My english is not very good but... I can read and write some words! I found your lovely blog via "Le blög d'Ötli".
    I really enjoy visiting!!
    Très amicalement, Kenza

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  57. just browsing and came upon your little "corner" which is so intriguing - feel free to drop by my little "corners" if you're so inclined - namaste' - jenean

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  58. You've kept good watch over the birds and what a scoop ! great pics!

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