LT COL NOEL ELLIS
27/V/2025
These days due to the terribly
hot weather, 6 o’clock is when I go out to feed the fish in the veranda. This
is followed by an inspection of the grain bowl for the birds, then a routine
inspection of the potted plants, to check how the sun behaved.
Then it is time to move to the
roof to check the Waterlily tubs. That is also the time for the birds to come
for their last drink for the evening.
As I was about to reach the top
of the flight of stairs, I heard a very familiar tweet from Blackie, my
Hummingbird friend. She is punctual like a Japanese train. As I opened the door
she was sitting on her favourite earthen bowl. Three long sips are what she
comes to relish.
50°C, will evaporate a man if he
stands in direct sun. Water in the bowl is bound to vanish. But still, due to
the floating plants, my birdie friends find some water to drink.
My heart sank when I inspected
the first waterlily tub. Day before, I had photographed my favourite orange
guppy. She used to wait for me desperately. First, for the cool water with
which the tubs are topped up. Second, for the feed. She rushes to the flow of
gushing water from the hose to cool herself. Once the water settles, it is time
for her to feed her whole ‘school’ inside.
I saw her floating upside down on
the surface. Imagine, if the most comfortable temperature for your survival is
24-28°C, and you have to live in 50°+. “Nau Tapa” claimed its first victim. I
wish I had an ice making machine which could dispense ice cubes at regular
intervals to keep the temperature regulated. With a heavy heart I gave her a
burial. Good bye my dear, and my apologies.
There is another issue with the
fish. When water is poured in the tubs, the fish get excited and surface. They
know they will be fed next. Besides, little fries come on top of the waterlily
leaves. Some start drifting with the flow.
One has to be careful that the
water doesn’t overflow or they tend to explore greener pastures and spill over.
The hot roof floor scorches them. If one is late to pick them up, they die due
to lack of oxygen.
Picking those fingerlings, not
even a millimetre is so difficult. A little additional pressure can squeeze
them. One has to be so careful while putting them back.
The aim to keep fish in tubs is
for ‘anti-malaria’ reasons. They gobble up ‘mosquito larva’. So, I must thank
them for a job well done. I wish I could pin a medal on their fins.
Be that as it may. I have a row
of Adenium pots lined up on the parapet wall. They are also under tremendous
stress due to the heat. However, they being plants meant for the desert, are
coping up.
Today, we had the ‘clash of the
titans’ in the second round of drinking water. The Red Vented Bulbuls arrived
as usual and instead of going to their favourite drinking spot, sat on one bowl
where the dove drinks water from and won’t budge.
The Dove came but these naughty
Bulbuls kept moving from side to side on the berm, as if to tell the dove that
they shall not allow her to drink. That bowl had been taken over. I stood still
watching the commotion within a few feet from where I was standing.
The dove was intelligent, she
flew off as if to say, you keep the bowl, I shall drink from somewhere else.
Moment, she left the Bulbuls relaxed and hopped away. Within seconds the dove
returned, took a swig, winked at the Bulbuls, and flew away.
Having seen this drama, I was
about to move down when down swooped a lady Hummingbird along with her two
chicks. They must have just about learnt to fly and were flapping their wings
to pester mom to give them water. Mom Hummingbird tweeted a couple of times,
passing instructions to the babies to watch and learn the way to drink water.
To ensure that they learnt, mom
drank her fill and flew away. The chicks had no other choice but to dip their
beaks into the water, which I had just topped up and enjoy their new learning.
I am sure, now that they know where they shall find water, they would return
everyday to the same place.
Mom kept a keen eye on her chicks
and tweeted from the nearby tree. These little ones took another final sip and
flew to her. Will they return tomorrow to sip their drink again? I
wonder!!!!!!!
JAI HIND
©® NOEL ELLIS
Lovely write up Noel. Summers are difficult for everyone. Scarcity of water adds to the vagaries of weather. With your efforts am sure things will be taken care of....thanks dear....
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