Optimistic New Year

In June 2015, optimistic pigeons started laying eggs in a planter on the balcony.  It's taken five clutches of eggs, each stolen by crows, but they finally hatched a couple of chicks.

The parents take alternating day and night shifts in their maternity planter which offers very little coverage from predators.  They're happy enough for me to sit on the balcony, so long as I don't go too near them.  They scarper when the balcony's being cleaned but don't go too far, and come back quickly.

First day out of the egg and I grant you, they are not the most lovely chicks.  I suppose they're delightful in Pigeon World.

I'm less optimistic about how the plant is going to survive but I suppose feathers trump leaves.

I'll keep you posted on their progress.  Happy and Optimistic New Year

Pigeons

Everywhere you look, there are the pigeons.  Above you, beneath  your feet, perching at eye level, peering in your windows and, on occasions, flying right at your lens

This one was on a direct flight path between the Gateway to India and me.

I rather like the much maligned pigeons despite their droppings, their noise and their clear animosity towards me.  Here is a previous pigeon encounter.

They, like the street dogs, have a well developed survival instinct.  Mumbai wouldn't be quite the same without them.

Guest bedroom

This is the guest bedroom, all plumped up with fancy cushions and pillows. This is not the type of guest I envisioned.

There were two of them, I didn't photograph the second one because it only strutted out from under the cushions when I started shooing away the first one. From the gifts left I could tell they'd been there for quite some time. Lesson learned: leave windows open by all means but check the soft furnishings for stowaways before closing up for the night.