LOVE IS IN THE AIR

 LOVE IS IN THE AIR

 

17/II/2024

LT COL NOEL ELLIS

 

Love is in the air will not be an understatement in this month. Valentine's Day has just gone by and its after effects continue. Not only in the human world but in flora and fauna also.

Koel’s are back in business with their magical, melodious, heart-warming calls. Doves are already busy gathering twigs for their nests. Bulbuls are carefree and enjoying life as usual.

A black butterfly was hovering on our ‘dwarf orange’ and ‘lime plant’. The orange plant has only ripe fruits and the lime plant has fresh buds erupting. The flowers need pollination and her reason to visit is understandable. Why was it not landing on the flowers?

I had a little idea of the purpose of her visit. She had come to lay her fruits of love called eggs. Caterpillars love to munch on citrus leaves. In a few days time, we should see some pupa developing. Last year, they almost chewed up all the leaves and destroyed the plant. This year I changed the location of their pots, but the butterfly has homed on them. I let her be.

What caught my attention was a pair of Sunbirds which I call Blackie and Brownie. They hang around our garden, especially in the morning. Hibiscus flowers being their favourite source of nectar. They have a knack to find their favourite syrup in the flowers that ornate in the Ellis’ Garden.

They love to frolic on our champa tree too. For them, I sprinkle water on its leaves. They soak those water droplets, shake their booty vigorously and enjoy bathing like there is no tomorrow. In the bargain, the leaves get washed and freed from dust. Plus, the stomata of its leaves, which makes food for the plant, gets stimulated.

Today, I could hear them zipping all over the place but was unable to catch them in my camera. They say, if your intentions are good everything falls into place. For such occasions I keep my Camera and Laptop handy. They generally stick together like lovers on my table. After all, the results look better on the bigger computer screen.

Be that as it may. These birds were darting all over the place as if in a chase. Who was after whom was not clear but I could figure out. Blackie the male was in the mood and Brownie the female was not playing game. One could just hear their tweets and flutter when they would zip past your nose.

Then they found a suitable place in a vacant house next door to kiss. Imagine one hung upside down on the string of lights in the neighbours house. I caught them when they were singing the Sunbird song to each other before they kissed. I could see their tongues in action. Love was really in the air.

I wish these beauties would come and nest somewhere in our garden. Will they oblige? I wonder!!!!!!

 

JAI HIND

© ® NOEL ELLIS