FOUR NESTS

 

LT COL NOEL ELLIS

 

15/III/2025

 

Sunlight was showering its blessings on the Drumstick tree, lighting up the top of its canopy. Early birds were out catching worms. Some were stretching and shaking off their laziness, while others appeared a little tense tweeting at top of their voices.

 

As usual, I waited for my friend ‘Greeny’ the Yellow Footed Green Pigeon’. She was building her nest and would have laid her eggs by now.

 

Greeny arrived. Generally, she starts whistling the moment she lands. Today, she was quiet as quiet could be. A little wait and I couldn't help asking her if all was well?

 

She turned around and showed her backside to me. What happened? No reply. Are you cross with me? No, she said and opened the floodgate of complaints.

 

I am not cross with you, but annoyed with the rest of ‘your kind’. The other day we had met when I had just started to build my nest, remember. How is it going? I laid two eggs in it. Then…. Last night my nest was destroyed. What the heck! How come?

 

After winning the cricket match you guys went crazy. It was an occasion to celebrate, I said. Is it fair to light crackers under the same tree where I was nesting? That too bursting bombs at a time when I was in deep slumber and so were my eggs. On top of that, they lit a rocket which got stuck in the tree and blasted in my face.

 

I panicked and took off and the nest got blown into smithereens. Eggs fell off as I went to perch in my family tree. During that panicked moment, I hurt my wings, as I got stuck in the branches.

 

I felt so sorry because we were looking forward to seeing her babies. Don’t worry she said, I will make another nest soon and lay another two. But this time it would be far from humans and she took off without saying goodbye, probably to recce a new tree for her nest.

 

Just then I saw a pair of ‘Did You Do It’s’ circling overhead, screeching as if they had been attacked. Generally, they sit on a rooftop across our lane. Sometimes they come to drink when the water sprinkler is switched on. Today, they were in panic mode.

 

What’s the matter, I inquired? Our nest was almost destroyed. Is there a kite/shikra troubling you or is it a cat? None of them, it is you humans who are working in the neighbouring house. Our nest is there in the vacant space of their backyard. Labour throws debris from the roof which lands very close to our nest.

 

We had a near miss just now. A foot this side and our just hatched chicks would have been minced. My goodness! Humans are such heartless creatures. They too flew away to raise an alarm as if the labourers would take notice.

 

It was time to head home for breakfast. Just then, I noticed hectic activity in a small drumstick tree which one had grown from a seed. Now it has fruits hanging. A pair of Hummingbirds were busy sucking nectar.

 

Alongside the drumstick tree is my hand grown cotton bush. Beautiful maroon flowers are showing and soon there should be cotton pods growing. I came close to take a dekho and was in for a surprise.

 

From the cotton bush, when I looked at the drumstick tree, I saw a rag stuck in the thicket. When I focused on it through my camera, it was a Hummingbird’s nest. The duo was not only sipping nectar but also guarding their nest and hatching their eggs. Besides, they were warning me to stay away. Then I saw a curved beak protruding out of the nest.

 

I called my wife to have a look and we both broke into a smile. Last year they nested in the garage. This year if you draw a straight-line due East, they found this tree to nest. Again, human activity was the reason. The neighbours were not here the previous nesting season. Now, they keep moving their car in and out thus disturbing the bird’s peace and quiet. Hope their chicks hatch without getting hit by children playing football in that park. Humans, wake up yaar. The entrance is south facing, they know Vastu better than us.

 

Just then a Red Bottomed Bulbul came to complain. What happened? Is the roti running low? No, she said, you humans are on two extremes. You feed us and water us and your horticulture chap chopped off the bush where we made our nest. Horrible people they are! I didn’t know what to say.

 

This is the heart wrenching story of ‘four nests’. Do we really care? I wonder!!!!!

 

JAI HIND

©® NOEL ELLIS