GREENY MY FRIEND

 GREENY MY FRIEND

 

LT COL NOEL ELLIS

 

10/III/2023

 

Last couple of days as the weather is warming up, I have been following Green Pigeons darting across trees around our house. The slightest of movement or provocation is good enough for them to flutter away. Imagine a house sparrow can startle them to scoot.

 

These birds are extremely shy in nature. They hide in trees with thick vegetation. These trees not only provide shade and shelter but are a good source of food, especially Banyan and Pipal. Their berries keep their tummies full.

 

There was a banyan grove near our school's main gate. Probably ten or twenty of them grew in a row. As the legend goes, there was a road to Jalandhar from Kapurthala passing through His Highnesses’ property which housed our school. Banyan trees were grown for shade to the passers by. Trees were massive, with roots hanging all over making fantastic swings for us children. On these trees lived lots of Green Pigeons. That is where I had seen them first.

 

Fifty years later having shifted to the ‘Suncity’ we had never imagined that Green Pigeons would find the eco system here conducive. My new hobby of photography is helping me to know these birds better.

 

One spotted a flock of green pigeons flying into a particular tree. It was impossible to locate them. Moment they heard human voices they froze and sat in utmost silence. A lesson taught to us in the Army also. Cheezen kyon dikhti hain? 6 S aur ek M se.

 

Shape, Shine, Shadow, Silhouette, Sound, and Movement ki vajah se. Can someone tell me the sixth S? Green pigeons have mastered the above techniques to stay perfectly camouflaged. Though, one has caught them basking in the sun on bare branches on occasions.

 

These guys are already making nests. Before the onset of summers, the brood would be ready to fly. I am not sure how many eggs the bird hatches, but those little ones would be safe in the thick foliage. Once the chicks get airborne, they would be difficult to catch.

 

Nature has given them a perfect colour and texture to hide. I have seen them flying in to the edge of the tree. The outer branches shake a bit and then within seconds all movement freezes. The route they choose is such that predatory birds avoid entering due to their wing span. Kites etc get entangled.

 

This morning, I heard their calls, so I picked up my camera and tip-toed that way. To avoid alerting them, I hid near an adjoining bush with a clear view of the tree. This bird would fly in and fly out at regular intervals and would be carrying a twig in its beak on its return trip. There definitely must be her nest in this tree.

 

For that, one had to find ‘tell tale signs’. Birds drop many twigs they carry for making their nest. That is one big give away. Rightly so, I found twigs scattered on the pavement.

 

Now, to spot the nest or the bird was next. Even narrowing and squinting my eyes did not help. If I move around, this bird may not return. I used my camera lens to zoom in. The bird entered the tree, walked & hopped on a branch and vanished. With great difficulty I spotted a tail, if it was Greeny’s tail.

 

Voila, its tail was the give away. A little focus to the left and right and I spotted its eye. Greeny was watching me intently. On the slightest provocation, it would have flown away. Besides, its nest was a huge hornet’s nest. Probably hornets provide safety. This is a conjecture, but it could be a possibility.

 

Two clicks and I moved away for my cup of tea. I shall keep that tree and this nest under subtle observation. Hope to see Greeny’s chicks soon. Will I? I wonder!!!!!!!!!!

 

JAI HIND

© ® NOEL ELLIS