The Story Of My "tree" Musketeers - Birdies : Companionship to Ginger plants & their flower buds ...

And not forgetting the birds, there is this particular species of bird that is small-bodied but greets these plants every single day without fail with a "he-he-he-he" sharp chirping voice.

They are known as Olive-backed Sunbirds (scientific name: Nectarinia jugularis) / 黄腹花蜜鸟.

copyright Paul Huang, http://www.naturestops.com)

For more information & details about the bird, kindly visit the following website:
http://swapsungeibuloh.wikispaces.com/Olive-backed+Sunbird

This video clip features a female Olive-backed sunbird returning to her nest after a hard day of flying around. However, it's a pity that the bird in the clip doesn't call out at all. Isn't the birdie cute when she peeps out from her nest?

It is cloaked in greenish & yellowy feathers; characterised by a long, sharp & needled-like beak which is abit bent downwards. Presumably for extracting nectar from the flowers blooming on this breed of Ginger plant.

When we had been greeted by a succession of loud, and cheery chirping, we knew for sure that the plants were blooming wtih an abundance of flower food for the birds. If those chirpy darlings greeted us with a short flat tone, we would be immediately aware that they were disappointed that they've got to look elsewhere for food as there are no flowers at all.

I've tried to take photographs of the birds who made several trips down to our Ginger plants everyday. Unfortunately, it's scared of humans which is understandable becox they've grown up in the wild so when it detects any movement, it'll take flight immediately & perhaps come back sneakily for food, hoping that the "orge" standing infront of the Ginger plants had disappeared.

2 flower buds were featured in an enlarged photograph of the GINGER "bulb" (not sure what to call it but it resembled a deep, dark red corn) as above. Looks yummy to the eyes & to the birdie.

Photograph of a new adult spotting a very fat stem and a huge, thick red "corn" with a day-old flower bud whose nectar had already been sucked dry by an Olive-backed sunbird.

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Disclaimer:
Please note that I do not own any of the photographs & videos of the Olive-backed Sunbirds featured here on this thread. As such, please give the credits of the photographs & videos of the birds to the relevant contributors.

I wish to thank Mr Paul Huang of http://www.naturestops.com for granting his kind permission in allowing me to use his beautiful photographs in this forum. It had certainly made an eye-opening difference to a nature lover like myself!

I would also like to thank the creator/s of http://swapsungeibuloh.wikispaces.com & smalleyes68 (owner of the You-tube video)for their comprehensive write-ups of the birds of Singapore & the video clip featuring an olive-backed sunbird respectively on the internet.