BULBULS BREAKFAST
LT COL NOEL ELLIS
04/IX/2023
When the morning starts with songs & greetings from birds, smiles from colourful flowers and blessings of wind when it touches you, what more can one ask for?
It all started with grooming of the Champa tree. Dry and wilted flowers get stuck between the leaves giving it a shabby look. As I was removing them, a very familiar insect brought a big smile to my face. A ladybug. No, not the red one but a yellow spotted one.
It was after ages I saw one. If one ladybug had come more can’t be far behind. It was hiding behind a leaf. Rightly so, as the early morning birds were on the hunt for their worm. Moment, it got exposed, down came a bulbul to snatch it. I released the branch just in time. The bird got startled and flew away to where the rest of her pack was.
A little down our lane yellow bummed Bulbuls were creating a ruckus. Their chatter and flutter caught my attention. It was time to investigate. Their commotion told me that there could be a cat hiding amongst the bushes. Afterall, cats too need to break their fast.
As I stood at a distance, this pack of about 6-8 bulbuls were shuffling between the picket fence and the hedge. Jumping, hopping, swinging on its branches, then landing in the sand bed. None of them were bothered with my presence and kept darting from the fence to the bushes alternatively. There was one which sat high chirping above on a wild bajra plant and kept calling.
I understood their game plan. The Bajra one was the lookout man. Sitting on a vantage point, overlooking the hedge with a birds eye view of all the activity below. Ones on the fence were the attackers. They would swoop and dive to a branch, shake it and sway with its movements as if taking a joy ride. There were two on the ground waiting for that turbulence to disturb an insect from its perch.
Moment a grasshopper/moth/butterfly revealed its position, it was curtains for it. A white butterfly was lucky when she dodged their dives and took off high. The ones on the ground got stuck in the bushes and abandoned the chase. The ones observing, didn’t go in pursuit but continued to spot and tweet.
One grasshopper was a little unfortunate. Though well camouflaged, to save itself it hopped quite hard and landed on the road. That was his last leap. Two bulbuls darted for it and one of them caught it. She held it in her beak and swung her head in jerks, hit it on the road to kill its prey before eating it. A few hard knocks on stone were enough for the grasshopper to kick the bucket. Breakfast was served.
The hubbub continued. The only difference was the birds changed positions. The one which had eaten grasshopper now replaced the one at the observation post. The ones on the lower tier now descended to the floor. The ones at the floor moved to the fence after jerking the branches as hard as they could while taking off. Small moths got exposed and were executed. Their rotation to watch, observe and kill continued till the owner of the house came out and reversed his car.
The flock flew away, to the next place. Another aunty was breaking roti into pieces at the end of the road. Uncle was refilling their water bowl. Off they flew for a change in taste, like we do at a chat stall. From Pani Puri to Pappri Chat.
On the way I met Ms Taylor Bird and Ms Sunbird. They were busy bathing in the droplets sticking to the Champa tree which I had drenched while watering the plants. The lady bird had gone by then. Did it fly away or became Bulbul’s breakfast? I wonder!!!!!!!
JAI HIND
© ® NOEL ELLIS
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