BABIES IN OUR GARDEN

 BABIES IN OUR GARDEN

 

LT COL NOEL ELLIS

 

20/V/2023

 

Every morning as I water my pots, especially the ones hanging in the garage, a pair of Bulbuls appear out of nowhere. It appears that they talk to me trying to tell me something. I know that they have three eggs in a nest which are hatching. My promise to them not to shower that pot stays. But they don’t forget to remind me if I inadvertently sprinkle some.

 

This pair of Bulbuls is not afraid at all. They do not attack or raise an alarm in our presence. However, their talk is not the birdy chirp. Their sound is much heavier that too in short bursts. Are those chirps for us or their chicks, I am not sure.

 

They appear as if they are trying to speak in a muffled human voice. Similar to how we talk to our toddlers who understand and convey messages in gibberish, which we all keep deciphering. Earlier, the birds would make a ruckus, as if a wild cat had discovered their nest. Now, it is a mellowed chatter.

 

The other day, there were guests visiting us in the afternoon. As is customary, most of them like to go through the garden. As I took them around, a bulbul flew and perched herself on the hanging pot next to their nest, raising a screechy alarm. They were unfamiliar people.

 

What caught my attention later was that she was fetching juicy looking caterpillars in her mouth. For a moment I thought my pots were infested. Once caterpillars attack, they eat away everything. That green wriggly thing was still alive and struggling to free itself from its strong grip. Soon it was food.

 

The eggs must have hatched, was the first thought which passed my mind. I held on to my curiosity till the guests left. The mystery was solved when the young ones tweeted begging for food. On lowering the pot when the parents were out hunting, things fell into place. There were chicks there.

 

With great care I lowered the pot, lest the chicks got disturbed. There were three pink, featherless babies who assumed that their mom had come to feed them. All of them shot their necks out with beaks open wide saying feed me first. Our Hearts were filled with happiness as we felt blessed to bring three new lives into this world in the Ellis’ Garden.

 

One didn’t notice that since the chicks hatched other birds stopped going to the pot. Is there something like a ‘DND’ board put up by the bulbuls. Or is it a norm amongst birds to leave nests with chicks alone.

 

We thanked the bulbuls for their trust. Before the parents could return from their hunt, I quickly hung the pot with the best back. Moment, I turned, I heard a familiar chatter as if asking me. Why had I disturbed the nest? I blew a flying kiss to the bulbuls apologising and said sorry, never again.

 

We are waiting for the babies now to fly away. How do they come to know that someone had visited their nest? I wonder!!!!!!!!

 

JAI HIND

© ® NOEL ELLIS