hole in the ground

They've been at it for about a week, this is some serious construction work! They've been carrying twigs and sticks of all shapes and sizes, including some hefty-lookin' branches. By the looks of things, they'll be at it for at least another week, it's already about as big as a salad bowl, but it doesn't "feel" done yet.

But watching them build it has been the real treat. They're unbelievably social and collaborative, always chittering to each other, always reviewing the work, both sharing the load of carrying and assembling, and even goofing around for a break! One of them especially likes playfully pecking the other while they're stacking sticks, and the other gets annoyed and starts crooning after a point. Kinda' hard to not anthropomorphise them when the dynamics feel so damned familiar...

And even beyond that, the careful way in which they select the twigs, the clever techniques for snapping them off nearby branches, the calculated way in which they place then adjust, this is pure engineering work. Watching them feels exactly as it did when renovating an apartment, or building a shed from the ground up. I hope they get at least as much enjoyment out of it as I did.