WHAT A FANTASTIC DAY

WHAT A FANTASTIC DAY

LT COL NOEL ELLIS

31/VIII/2024

Some days are lucky and some are fantastic. It depends on how you and I perceive it. I feel it is better to enjoy the bounties of nature everyday. That is how my luck works by observing flora and fauna around.

The other day I met Mr Grasshopper hiding in a pot. He has been a good boy. Instead of munching away leaves from our garden, he just sits at his favourite spot. Even if he eats a few leaves, it doesn’t matter.

Same is the case with Mr Caterpillar which makes the Lime Butterfly. All our citrus plants have been invaded by them. I can see them sticking to half the leaves of each plant. I let them be. In the bargain they prune the plant. From wherever they have eaten, new shoots have sprouted. This means that there will be more flowers and more fruits. Plus, butterflies would help in pollination as they are sure to return.

Mr Grasshopper has changed his abode since the last two days. He was found in the grain bowl. He knows that Mr TikTok the Chameleon lurks around. Though the TikTok family has been missing in action this rainy season. One dart of its tongue and thou shall me a meal for him. Now that Mr Grasshopper is as big as my pointer finger, it means more meat for a meal.

There is this moringa tree in our neighbourhood. It has not only provided shade for my car, but pods for our sambhar and flowers for raita. It has also been a boon to attract so many birds and insects. My day starts off with observing movements on it. While I do so, a new bird may pose for me. Besides, it has given so many seed pods which we germinated and distributed far and wide.

You all must have seen the Black Koel commonly. What bloodshot eyes it has! The other day, I caught it in a duel with a Bulbul. But the male which is a spotted one, of black and white feathers is very elusive. It has been days I have been hearing it coo and even chasing it for a photo but in vain. Sometimes it gets deep inside the trees and sometimes the sunlight is not in my favour.

Today as I was weeding our pots, I heard its melodious call. It was from this Drumstick tree. Mr Koel was sitting and singing away to glory. Generally, Ms Koel follows suit but it wasn’t for today. She was replying to his calls but from a different tree.

Koel is a very shy bird. One jerky movement and off it flutters away. Even if they see the lens pointing towards them, they get alerted and change their perch or get into the foliage. As I told you, today was my lucky day. It kept sitting in one place for me.

One could take a few shots from the ground without it getting edgy. I was not sure how long it would stay on that branch, so I thought of taking a chance by going to the roof where our friend would be just about ten meters away. Lo and behold, it did not move. It was waiting for me to take some photos.

Like a trained model it changed positions slightly. It appeared I was the photo director and telling it to bring its chin down, lift the head high, stretch a leg, ruffle its feather and it obeyed my commands. Mr Koel completed the photo shoot like a professional Kingfisher model. I thanked it and got on to my lily tubs.

Another movement on the wall caught my attention. Small black ants were carrying away the wing of a grasshopper. I almost got a jolt just thinking of the Mr Grasshopper whom I had just met in the grain bowl downstairs. A bird must have picked him up and flown here to eat in peace. One of the wings would have gotten detached while it devoured it and got noticed by the ants. Now an army of ants were taking it home.

Just then the Koel came over to have a drink from one of the tubs. Before I could capture the closest shot of the day, it sipped and flew over my head like a flypast. Thank you, Mr Koel, I said.

My mind was working on Mr Grasshopper's fate. I came down and straight away went to the grain bowl. There he was sitting tight, moving around in the grains. Thank God for that.

What a fantastic way to start a day. Could it have been better? I wonder!!!!!!!

JAI HIND