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MEETING A FRIEND AGAIN


 

LT COL NOEL ELLIS

 

07/XII/2024

 

Winters are fast setting in. Sweaters and hoodies are out and even woollen caps are caps to keep the contents of your upper story warm. People looked a little fluffed up.

 

The only exception is our ‘gentle ladies’. This being the wedding season, dare I say that they might carry a shawl but chances of wearing them are minimal. I could be wrong in my observation. Right Ladies?

 

Be that as it may. I am not going to talk of ‘chicks’ of the human kind but of real birds.

 

The other day we were visiting a friend of ours who stays on the banks of the same river which touches our colony. In fact, we stay down stream. While we were crossing the bridge, I came across water birds aplenty. I dropped my wife at her friend's place and drove back, only to stop and take some pics.

 

I met Mr Malya, my old friend from Alibaug sitting with his friend the dove on an electric line along the river. Moment, I said hello, he greeted me with his ‘call’. Like we used to say, ‘ae kingfisheriya kai re’, sab chokho, he replied. That reminded me that I was in Rajasthan and not Maharashtra.

 

The weather is getting cold and I had just taken a dip in the river, catching my lunch. I came here to bask in the sun when my friend Ms Dovey joined me. We were just discussing the weather; he said when you barged in. I apologised and excused myself and moved on, wishing them ‘Dasvidaniya’ till we meet again.

 

This morning as I was inspecting the garden, I heard a Parakeet’s call from the neighbouring Drumstick tree. Armed with my camera, I could just get the tree which is fully laden with flowers. What a beautiful sight it is! Birds are having a ball, with so many insects and loads of nectar to feed on.

 

I saw a couple of chubby Bulbuls and Sparrows, sitting and fidgeting on the branches. Generally, by this time they come down to the feeder to gobble up grains. They all looked quite fluffy, rather healthier than usual. I conjectured that they must have gained ‘health’ in the season gone by, thanks to what we fed them.

 

I asked Ms Dovey, “thore mote lag rahe ho”. She giggled at my compliment. It’s not fat my dear, it is just that birds fill up air within their feathers on purpose. The air warms up with the body temperature and sunlight. This keeps us warm and cozy. Like you humans get lethargic in the mornings, we too like to stay in our ‘natural blankets’. I understood the logic. Enjoy yourselves, I said and left.

 

It was time now for me to feed the fish in our tubs on the roof. Unfortunately, one cannot keep all the 15 water lily tubs warm except one main tub. The dropping temperature will take a toll.

 

As a habit, I carry my camera with me, just in case one gets to photograph something which makes my day. An ‘Indian cork tree’ came into sight and was laden with flowers. It was a beautiful sight to watch.

 

Just then through my peripheral vision I saw something fly past. It could have been a dove or a pigeon, I thought. When I looked up, I broke into a very broad smile. It was Mr Malaya the Kingfisher, sitting coolly on the protrusion of an iron bar of the solar panel.

 

Khammgani Hukum, keekar padhariyo? I asked. Till now we had not seen him up close on our roof. With the solar system installed, they have enough space to perch and watch the tubs teeming with my guppies and mollies. How did he know that there are fish in the tubs? Instinct, observation, and smell, I suppose.

 

You must thank me, he said. I mean no harm to your fish. They are extra smart and dive the moment they come to know of my presence. The thick foliage of the water lily leaves and other water plants make it difficult for me to make a clean kill. What I do is, when your fish die and float on the surface, I pick them up. Your tub gets rid of dead fish free of cost, and I get food.

 

 I could only thank Malya Sa. What else do you eat from my tubs, I was inquisitive? Snails and caterpillars, he said. That’s a great job you do as they munch on the leaves and spoil their shape, puncturing them with holes like a bullet ridden target.

 

Just then he said Khammgani and flew to the neighbour’s roof. Can I trust my friend Mr Malaya to eat only dead fish in my tanks? I wonder!!!!!!

 

JAI HIND

©®NOEL ELLIS







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