Blah Blah Babbler, a flurry of ruffled feathers and insistent chirps, landed before me as if delivering a royal decree. (Indeed, the wisdom of the film 'Uyare' suggests a certain feminine authority in all things "Blah." which I don't endorse) Her tiny eyes, bright and sharp, conveyed an urgency that belied my usual dismissal of their incessant chatter.
"The water dish!" she chirped, her voice a rapid-fire series of clicks and whistles. "Where has the earthen tray gone?"
"Broken, I believe?" I offered, recalling the unfortunate incident.
A collective flutter of disapproval emanated from her unseen companions in the nearby branches. "We cannot drink from that cold, glinting steel!" she declared, her tone surprisingly firm.
"Why ever not?" I inquired, genuinely curious.
"The glare!" she exclaimed, hopping agitatedly. "It flashes like a predator's eye! It terrifies us!"
"Understood," I conceded. "I shall make alternative arrangements swiftly. Is there anything else troubling the peace of the branches?"
"Oh, but there is!" Blah Blah Babbler's agitation intensified. "That... that Woody Allen!"
My brow furrowed. "Woody Allen?"
"The woodpecker!" she clarified, rolling her tiny eyes heavenward. "He descended upon the breadcrumbs you so kindly leave for us."
"Yes, those are for everyone," I confirmed. "No special privileges for any particular beak or claw." I pictured the determined woodpecker I'd seen earlier, diligently tapping and testing the bark of the old coconut trees.
"Agreed," Blah Blah Babbler conceded. "But he devoured the entirety of it! He puffed himself up and threatened us all! Even Pip, the little wren, had to flee!"
I gently explained, "These squabbles over crumbs are usually sorted out amongst yourselves, at your various perches. I'm merely a humble human; such avian disputes are beyond my jurisdiction."
With a frustrated flick of her tail feathers, readying for flight, she declared, "Well, if that drumming tyrant returns, we shall meet him with the full force of our flock! One swallow does not make a summer, and one greedy woodpecker will not rule our feeding grounds!"
And with that, she launched herself into the air, a tiny warrior heading back to her feathered comrades.