WILD FRIENDS AND US
LT COL NOEL ELLIS
23/VI/2022
In the deserts, the best blessing from God is a shower of rain. Blessings multiply if every fifteen days there could be one. With the first sign of clouds, the farmer gets busy tilling his land. The petrichor smell is a good enough signal to get ready for their crop. The farmer and his family get to work in earnest, cleaning, repairing & sharpening their farming tools, while their animals watch silently.
Even the animals know that it is going to be hard work for the next couple of weeks. They are ready to return the favour of the farmer, who looked after them during bad times by keeping them well watered and ensured their fodder. They are part of the family. Once yoked, they work from dawn till dusk. This I gathered while interacting with a local.
It suddenly became windy and dark in the evening. There was still some light before sunlight faded completely. My wife decided to go to the waterfront. One wanted to capture some evening surprises.
The sound of rustling leaves due to the wind was beckoning us to have a Dekho. There is nothing more relaxing than walking in the shade of trees, while a cool summer breeze coaxes and pulls you to the river.
As usual, the Black Koel met us on the Pepal tree, cooing to its partner, who was calling but was deep inside the Kikkar thicket. A partridge on the ground busy foraging got alerted and ran to the tree line. Only to return after a short while. We had no intentions to disturb him. He stood high on the bank and called. A few from his family came to enquire and have fun.
The spotted Koel which had been eluding me, flew into the scene. Thick canopy of the neem tree gave her enough camouflage. A tip-toed approach and she was spotted trying to play hide and seek. The black one assaulted and whoosh; it came from nowhere and both of them vanished into the trees, like fighter jets in a chase.
It was time to move on. The doves posed again. It was a glad moment when the Bee Eater was busy catching bees and halted to pose for us, without being scared. It was a dry Kikkar branch, jutting towards the river. She would go, catch shikar and return. She modeled for us as we clicked.
Beautiful thoughts started flowing in. We drifted like water by the reflections of the Stilts pecking in the shallow waters. The ‘Did-you-do-it’, giving warning calls to all and sundry. The water hens ran to hide behind the swaying bushes. They were visible for a moment and gone in a flash.
This stirred up a commotion on the far bank. One was trying to make out what it was from a silhouette, as the lights were fading. Out came charging a wild boar from a thicket. A wild boar! That too ‘living’ was quite a surprise. One had seen herds of them on the road to Ooty long ago. Later, when the Adivasis used to catch them in our coastal village. It appeared to be a male. That meant that there would be a whole family, which we shall definitely catch soon. This was a new revelation.
A single visit to the waterfront can bring beautiful thoughts called Eunoia. Calmness gets in your head and makes you forget the other hustle and bustle. Human activities are so muddled these days. It is a welcome change to say hello to these marvellous creatures.
The resplendent variety one has been able to lay his lens on soothes the soul. A bird here, a reptile there, an animal here and an insect there. A take away lesson is patience and staying still, besides keeping eyes and ears open. Luck too works, like catching this wild boar out of the blue.
The sun had gone down late but being the longest day, we still had some light left to walk back in peace. Before we took our evening walk one saw a very similar V in the sky. It was formation flying of the ‘demoiselle cranes’ getting back to the ‘Khichan’ village close by. Reminded me of the fly past by the Indian Air Force during the passing out parade in NDA.
Next visit will be to this village. They come all the way from Siberia every summer and are looked after and fed well till they breed and go back. The ones left behind are cared for by the villagers till the flock re-joins next year.
Our hearts feel so light when there are just these wild friends and us. They bring happiness and love and fuel creativity. What a way to spend an evening! Isn’t it? I wonder!!!!!!!!!!
JAI HIND
© NOEL ELLIS
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