CONVERSATIONS WITH BROWNIE

 CONVERSATIONS WITH BROWNIE

 

LT COL NOEL ELLIS

27/IV/2024

 

Our Garden is witnessing a lot of bird and insect activity. Besides food and water, it is the nestling time too. Our friendly Sunbirds, Blackie, and Brownie (B&B) are raising a family in the Ellis’ Garden.

We are witness to the whole process from when B&B fell in love, till today when Brownie is sitting quietly inside the nest and hatching her eggs. She keeps posing for me. Brownie is the only bird who is not scared of us at all. We have to sometimes go underneath the nest, not to disturb her but to water our pots. She knows she is in safe hands and continues to sit doing her job, unmindful of our presence.

I do get into conversations with her. The number of revelations she has done is amazing. Brownie tells me stories of her naughty sister Beanie, who has been wooing Blackie. Beanie has been after many other boys and Beanie doesn’t know that Blackie has many girl friends too.

You do not object to it, I asked Brownie? I do sometimes, but then in the larger interest to raise our family, I let it be. As it is, our numbers are dwindling, she said sadly. This is the only colony where we can thrive and survive. I agreed.

I see Blackie returning to the nest every morning and evening, I said. Brownie just sat cuddled in her nest. Then went in probably to move her eggs and poked her beak out and looked at me. Hmm, she said.

Actually, Blackie is in love with me, she chuckled. He is the one who found this wire fit for making our nest and approved of it. It is on these wires that we swung around and made love. It was Blackie who brought the first twigs and tied the first knot. He wanted me to bring our chicks to this world.

It is not only in the morning and evening that he visits me but comes to check every now and then. He raises the alarm if he finds anything suspicious. You people move inside to avoid the heat, he is the one who comes and checks the nest in this torrid heat. If required, do minor repairs too. Blackie also protects me from the Bulbuls who create a ruckus around. After all, he will be a father soon.

I see, but then does he take turns in warming the clutch of eggs, I asked. Unfortunately, no, she said. It is my singular duty to do that. Hmm, I said.

But, Blackie is very considerate. He comes and whispers in my ears about all the flowers in the colony which are full of nectar. He sometimes guides me to them so that after having a fill I can quickly return and continue hatching the eggs. Sometimes, when the nest is under threat and I cannot go out, Blackie gets me a juicy caterpillar or an insect, home delivered faster than Swiggy or Zomato.

Wonderful, I said and laughed aloud. I had seen Blackie holding an insect in his beak from the corner of my eye. What a loving and caring birdie he is! Brownie tweeted gleefully.

Let me water the plants, I told Brownie. Go ahead, she said but with one request. Kindly do not wet my nest as sometimes your sprinkler goes berserk. It is not good for the nest as well as the eggs inside. I promised to be extra careful.

However, kindly drench the champa tree leaves like you usually do for me and Blackie to ruffle our feathers and take a good bath. Sitting alone, I too need a change of scenery and clean my feathers to provide a better environment to the eggs. Definitely, I said, it would be my pleasure.

I took leave from her and at that very moment Blackie came out of nowhere. I could overhear him asking Brownie as to what was transpiring between her and yours truly. Brownie told him that she will tell him that later and asked him if he had brought her a caterpillar or a moth as if saying is it a pizza or a burger. Blackie had brought both.

I am looking forward to more conversations with her. Will someone like to join in? I wonder!!!!!

 

JAI HIND
© ® NOEL ELLIS