The Empty Nest

Lucy, our resident sunbird in Dubai

I am an empty nester.  Actually, I am a no nester.

About a month ago, I was sitting outside working.  Lucy came by with her mate, and another sunbird. I thought she was introducing me to her new friend through her chatter.

After that visit I didn't see her for a few days.  I began to worry.  With two larger birds constantly bullying the area, I wondered if they chased her off.  Despite all the singing and chirping in this garden and the occasional sounds of traffic racing past Dubai Mall, our home suddenly became so quiet.

I checked outside every morning, but no Lucy.  Sadly her nest started to drop.  Even though it seemed to be hanging by a thin strand, it hung on for a long time.  She was back about a week later, but by then the nest was so low and twisted it was uninhabitable.  She tried to build it back up over a few days, but her attempts were unsuccessful.  Not wanting to interfere with nature and ruin any chances of the birds returning, it was heartbreaking to watch.

I never saw Lucy again, but I could still hear sunbirds nearby for some time.  They have since stopped, and I assume have migrated to a cooler place for the summer.

The nest eventually fell to the ground  Before we cleaned it up, my son said "let's explore it".  So we did.  We opened it, and looked through it.  It was amazing how strong those little pieces were intertwined in Lucy's labor of love.  Fortunately, there were no abandoned eggs.  It was empty.

The fallen sunbird nest

Ironically, after the nest fell, the pomegranate tree from which it hung began to flower again.  A sign that there is some kind of give and take balance in nature.  We have also had several visitors since then - including a peacock!  As I write this, I see a dove poking around in the trees.

With all these visitors, we are hopeful that maybe someday we will again be graced with the likes of Lucy.

A breakfast visitor