guess what

[javansparrow]

Thanks, Sally.

and this is new update. Someone must build this nest, but I dont know who.



and just another pic

[6finchfriends]

I'm loving all of your photos Jim! Your finches are beautiful and so healthy looking. I would be sitting and watching them all day and never get any work done! What type of aviary trees do you have? I hope your star pair have good luck with their nest spot! Maybe you can put something over the nest to keep the water off?

[javansparrow]

What type of aviary trees do you have? I hope your star pair have good luck with their nest spot! Maybe you can put something over the nest to keep the water off?

Thanks Trish,

I have 3 tamarind trees, one (according to wiki called) Malay gooseberry/Tahitian gooseberry/country gooseberry/star gooseberry. 2 Jasmine tree, some orchids and 2 basket of (literally/locally we called it) the philipine/indian bamboo tree, but I can't find a match/decent english name for it. and just recently I put water spinach on the pond where they grow quite well.

And just yesterday I found that the nest builder in that bamboo tree is my stars. The thought that he will build his nest upon the orchids was a mistake. He just made a 'transit' spot for the dried grass he collected.

edit: forgot to mention one pandan tree. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pandanus

[javansparrow]

update pics



about 3 weeks ago one shafttail egg hatched (the one on the bamboo tree), but I dont know how, a week later the baby got kicked out and I found it dead outside. but today I saw 2 more hatched (another newly laid clutch I guess).





the other pair which laid their eggs on the orchid site finally gave it up (due to heavy rain), and now they pick one of the nestbox I provided long ago.

[Vargur]

Very nice!!

[javansparrow]

Very nice!!

thx vargur.

ok today I have a confirmation that at least 2 timor zeb were born. (but judging from the pic it looks like that there is the 3rd body - sorry out of focus, but I didnt want to disturb the mother any longer). and WOW! they're so tiny lol. Ive seen pics of agape mouth from many sites, but never thought that they were so tiny!


(previous pic before the egg hatch)




on the same bamboo (not bamboo exactly) I also saw another nest with occupant, but just dont know who.


I also saw another 2-3 more 'natural' nest (being built without my platform) inside, but its hard to get the pic.

[GB1]

That looks amazing! I am looking at piles of snow. Can't wait for spring so my birds can be outside again. Great job on aviary!

[javansparrow]

Thanks GB.

and this afternoon I just couldnt resist myself. I went back to the aviary took a quick couple pics. and found this one is good (focused). they're shaftails babies. 3 times larger than the zeb babies. and they look well fed.



edit: and Hey look! the mouth marking is just like what Roy Beckham showed us.

[debbie276]

Congratulations!

[javansparrow]

Thx Deb.

[javansparrow]

new member.

I should be ashamed of myself. I know that this species is listed as near threaten. but I just couldnt resist myself. timor zeb can be obtained from the island of Lombok, thats only about 400km (250miles) from my hometown - personally I've been there twice for vacations, driving cross 2 straits only. but the island of Timor (where this timor sparrow came from) is about 1400km (850miles) from here. so I bought 4 of them yesterday. hopefully they will flourish in my aviary.

[bugaboo5]

I absolutely LOVE your aviary. From the tamarind trees (yum!) to the cattleya orchids (beautiful) to the little ponds you have (adorable) and of course, your very happy birds (bravo!!!) -- it's a little oasis. I could sit and look through your plants and at your birds for hours on end!!! Thank you so much for sharing your photos and congratulations on your new acquisitions. I hope they breed for you quite well.

[javansparrow]

Thanks bugaboo

Btw, I want to edit my post above, but somehow the 'edit' button is missing. so here it is:

I happened to be on my favorite bird market yesterday. returning one of the 'double male' bengalese, when I saw this timor sparrow on one stall

[bugaboo5]

Of course, thank you for sharing these awesome photos. The edit option disappears after 30 minutes, I believe. Once that window of time has passed, the edit button disappears.

Have you been able to sex your Timor Sparrow pair? They are threatened in the wild due to habitat destruction and illegal capture, but you can always make a negative into a positive by breeding birds in captivity and bringing their numbers up. They are gorgeous -- I would even say more appealing to me than Java Sparrows, which are close relatives.

[javansparrow]

Of course, thank you for sharing these awesome photos. The edit option disappears after 30 minutes, I believe. Once that window of time has passed, the edit button disappears.

I see.

Have you been able to sex your Timor Sparrow pair?

No, that's why I bought 4 of them. It would be very unlucky for me to have all of them as male/female. (edit: actually I had tried my best to see the bulbous beak of male and vice versa, but I just cant. They seem all the same. much easier with common javan sparrow - I had tried once). So I just let seller pick for me and she said they're 2 males and 2 females. but I just didnt trust this seller. she would say anything to make a sale.

not like the guy who sold me the stars and the shafttails (and later the bengalese). He said that he would do his best to pick me two pair of male/female (when I bought the shafttails). but he couldn't guarantee that the ones he chose will be 100% right. But he promised me I can return the wrong sex to him (if this happen) and exchange it with the right sex. But this didnt happen with my shaft. They formed true 2 pairs.

So thats why when I had this wrong 'double male' pair of bengalese, I returned one of them.

They are threatened in the wild due to habitat destruction and illegal capture, but you can always make a negative into a positive by breeding birds in captivity and bringing their numbers up. They are gorgeous -- I would even say more appealing to me than Java Sparrows, which are close relatives.

habitat destruction is major problem here. money does everything. I can make your heart broke with many stories from here. Mammals/primates (orangutan especially) being the most threaten right now. they need habitat much more larger than any kind of birds.