MAIDEN FLIGHT

 MAIDEN FLIGHT

 

LT COL NOEL ELLIS

18 /V/2023

 

Oh! What a start to a wonderful day it was. I am still awestruck with what I witnessed first hand. Nature was at its best unfolding right infront of your eyes. It was truly mesmerising, so read on….

Having watered the plants, it was time for me to observe the birds. Blackie and Brownie, our Sunbirds that had made a nest in our garage, were unusually busy today. Their absence from the nest was of lesser duration than normal. Two chicks were now sticking their beaks out of the nest. Let us call them Jinny and Johnny, J&J.

All these days J&J were quiet as quiet could be. However, today they were fidgety and were popping out very frequently from the nest’s opening. B&B would come in turns with a juicy caterpillar or insect in their mouths and push both J&J back in. Naughty as they were, once fed and the parents off, they would stick their necks out of the nest again.

My hunch told me it could possibly be the day when J&J might decide to take their maiden flight. When would be that exact moment, was not known. With camera in hand, it was a wait to witness their first flight, if it was to be.

Another change in the chicks behaviour was that they were now chirping loudly. Maybe, calling out their parents for food or practising tweeting. Their ‘Choon-Choon’ was loud and clear. The nest too would shake violently unlike other days. Probably J&J were fighting with each other inside. Sibling rivalry I thought.

The mouth of the nest also witnessed a change. From just the beak, it was now a small birdie which sat at its ledge. I thought it would now gauge the risks involved to take a leap of faith. I was also expecting J to flap its wings to see if it was strong enough to take flight and return.

Passersby also came to check what I was gazing at so fixated and carried on. They could neither spot the nest nor the chicks.

Blackie returned with breakfast. Moment, it left the nest, Jinny jumped off like we used to jump from the 10-meter diving board in NDA. A short flight and it landed on the rear window of our car. With hardly any space to get a foot hold it kept flapping its wings. Then, it took off and perched on one of the hanging wires about a meter from me.

Jinny looked in a dilemma. Should I return to the nest or should I venture out in the world? It chose the latter. After swaying on the wire, trying to balance itself, it took off in the direction of our garden.

The first thing it caught was a champa leaf. A little bewildered as it could not balance itself there, it slipped. With rapid flaps of its wings, it perched on a protruding branch. Both parents were close by and available in case of an emergency. Luckily, there were no predatory birds or cats on the prowl. Otherwise, this little fellow would have been a morning snack.

The concern of the parents was palpable. Jinny was out in the open and Johnny was in the nest. If Blackie was with Jinny, then Brownie would stay close to Johnny. Johnny was still frail to venture out as yet. But he must be perturbed as to why its sibling had left the nest. B&B in turn were returning to assure him not to worry and stay put, while they taught Jinny to fly and be safe in this mad bad world.

When Jinny would tweet, both B&B would rush to it. On the other hand, Johnny would tweet from the nest and both would rush back to see if all was well there. This continued for a little while when Jinny took a long flight to the drumstick tree in the vicinity.

I returned to the nest where Johnny was continuously tweeting and chirping. Once in a while it would show its beak out of the nest but then return inside as if it knew the time was not right for him. Maybe, the parents would have scolded him not to venture out. But B&B were returning to the nest again and again. They were as concerned about Johnny more as it was the weaker sibling.

My day was made and I left them to be on their own. With some nice clicks, it was time for breakfast. When will Johnny take its maiden flight? I wonder!!!!!!!

 

JAI HIND

© ® NOEL ELLIS