Finally! managed to get a few photos of the Sunbirds [this one is a Female. Purple Rumped - Leptocoma zeylonica ] who keep coming back to this shrub to strip off the dry stringy bark for nest-building....
   

The Bulbul chicks are gone. Blown away by the fierce storm last night. The empty nest remained in the tree though....

A pair of Bulbuls [Red-Vented. Pycnonotus cafer bengalensis] had made a nest in a Ficus shrub, 3 chicks hatched just over a week ago and today for the first time they were hopping on the branches of the big Mahogany tree and in a short while had learned to fly! The mother had brought something in her beak, but would not go to the nest to feed the chicks. She sat on a branch about 15 feet away and keep chirping loudly, encouraging the chicks to come get their breakfast. First one then the second were brave enough to attempt the jump out of the nest and into the high branches. I've been watching out for the third, but there is no sign of it. Wonder what happened?

Mother Bulbul gets very agitated as she spotted me on the balcony [even though I did my best to hide behind some shrubs] and was screeching and hopping around trying to get the chicks to go back quickly to the safety of their nest. The chicks followed her a bit, but finally stayed put on the branch. Then one of them made a great big attempt, flapped its tiny wings and managed a short flight. The 2 chicks were later back on the branch, huddled together and content sunning themselves!

Because she had spotted me, I had to abandon the stability of the tripod I'd setup and my only option was to try steady myself against the wall of the balcony and shoot hand-held [300mm f/4 EDIF lens]. Not the best shots, therefore. But it was great to see the chicks finally up and about out of their nest.

For the past many weeks the WIP photo project for «The Jungle Book» production at AIS/D Elementary School had taken up all of my shooting time. Am not complaining! in case that is what it sounded like. It was a great experience, both photographically and to witness the progression of the learning process the kids went through... and to then finally watch the fantastic performance where each one of them shone like stars! The Work In Progress photo record/essay runs into 100's of [final] images and these are grouped in separate PDF files [full resolution JPG's] for each session. 5 sessions + 1 from the Dress Rehearsal + 1 lot of backstage photos + 1 lot of group photos of the cast + 1 lot from the final performance night. I probably shot around 2000 frames and culled these down to a manageable number. I might post some sample images from these sessions a bit later once the photo-CD is done and produced.  You can take a peek at The Jungle Book CD-Cover if you like. This image is a conversion from one of the photos.

I've not shot much in the last many days as the post-processing job took [a total] around 80 hours... and so those itchy fingers have been missing the familiar feel of the ridged focusing-ring and shutter-release button.

I've been observing the Starlings [Sturnus contra] and Crows starting to build their nests high in the Mahogany tress.... and this one particular crow is extremely alarmed every-time I take a peek out the window at the nest being built. The Starlings are building a nest much higher in the other tree but are very watchful and can notice me even if I am behind a window screen. Today I was able to get a few images before the Starlings flew off to watch me from another tree.
 

Updated [a few hours after posting the above]:

I decided to post a few assorted ones from the work-in-progress photos of The  Jungle Book rehearsals in no particular order.....

Images from the «Work-In-Progress» during rehearsals and also some images from the performance day of The  Jungle Book - by the AISD Elementary section. The main performances were on the 13th and 14th March 2008.

More to be added soon....

The Mahogany trees are sprouting new leaves and the Starlings, Mainas and Magpie Robins are bringing bits of stuff to build nests... the color of the Mahogany leaves are bright orange red like fall colors anywhere else!

    
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