FRIENDLY COUCALS

FRIENDLY COUCALS

LT COL NOEL ELLIS

05/II/2024

It suddenly got cloudy in the Sun City. The weather warmed up because of the cloud cover. Instead of the usual sweaters, wind cheaters and caps on the head, we came down to the usual T shirts. My gut feeling says it should rain soon.

Spring is definitely round the bend. This was confirmed when we spotted a pair of Koel’s which went whizzing past our front lawn, tweeting the Koel song. It was a high-speed chase between them. They were in love for sure. I wished them luck and requested them to pose for me this season.

As I sat down to feed the fish with my hot cup of morning tea in the veranda along with my wife, she drew my attention to a thick green ficus tree in the opposite lane. ‘Khamadi Kukkar’ she said, that’s what it is known as in Punjabi. My adrenalin started to pump; I had a subject to shoot. Instead of my spectacles, I rushed inside to fetch my camera.

It was a pair of ‘Greater Coucals’, happily perching in that tree. What were they looking for there? Possibly small birds and their chicks, grasshoppers and their favourite Locust, which one has seen them relish. Last year, this bird posed for me right at the entrance of our house. The prey was different then. It was a squashed frog lying on the road.

Vehicles keep passing by. One odd frog which ventures out to enjoy insects which fall under the street lamps, gets squished under them. The next day, either it is the Crows, sometimes a Heron or a Shikra who enjoy the snack but that day it was a Coucal.

Through my camera I could see this pair clearly. One of them got spoofed by a car cleaning boy on his scooter who went past that tree. One took off but one stayed put. It somehow was not bothered as I inched closer to take a better shot. The dense foliage of the tree was impeding a good click.

The bird finally exposed itself and agreed to my demand. She changed trees and flew to the trees in the villas opposite our lane. Then it started its daily hunt for food. In between I heard a ‘far cry’ from its partner. Maybe she was missing him already, or maybe it had spotted a juicy snack or maybe it was sounding a danger alarm, if her partner stayed exposed so long.

Our friend did not bother. I think it was the husband who didn't listen to his wife’s advice. From the tree to the road, from the road to the picket fence, from the fence to the pot and from there to the handle of a scooter, this bird kept moving. It kept looking at me and kept posing, giving me those angry bird looks.

I maintained a safe distance with my finger on the ‘click’ button. I didn’t want to miss my encounter with this bird which is rarely spotted in residential areas. Though it can be spotted in the wild along the riverfront hugging our colony.

Instead of hearing my wife call me that breakfast has been laid, my camera gave a warning that the battery is running low. Sometimes when your ‘model’ keeps posing, Mr Murphy activates the camera. Two more shots and the camera said, ‘battery has run out’ and switched off automatically. It was curtains for my shoot for the day.

My second camera was ready with a fresh battery, but then I let it be. When you start clicking, you forget how many photos are enough. Will this pair of Coucals return to pose for me? I wonder!!!!!!!

JAI HIND