FEEDING TIME

LT COL NOEL ELLIS

17/VIII/2025

As I was admiring the blooms in the Ellis’ Garden, my attention was drawn to the birds which were feeding on the road.

The most encouraging and interesting thing was their increasing count. I remember about four years back when we decided to leave a bowl of water for the birds to start with in the summer. Initially, there were no takers.

Yes, the tailor bird and the hummingbird were the first to arrive. Probably, the space which we were occupying belonged to them while we were away for many years. Finches were also spotted loitering around. We had brought numerous pots and plants where they found their meal hiding in the foliage.

On taking a round of the colony, I noticed people were already feeding the birds. At many places bird feeders, artificial nests and water bowls had been placed. It was fun to watch the frolic around them.

An idea struck when I saw a dry and broken branch of our champa tree protruding outwards. It could make an excellent place for a grain feeder. A visit to a potter’s shop was enough to find one. It came with wire supports to hang the pot.

We tried all sorts of grains, from wheat, to rice, dals of various kinds etc. A visit to a local ‘Chakki’ where they ‘mill’ wheat was an eye opener for us. The local grains and kinds of millets were unimaginable. Some I saw for the first time. We bought 100gms of each and mixed them up. The ‘original spread’ was not being relished by the birds.

The Chakki wala told us to take bajra. Birds love to eat it as it is a staple grain here and grown in abundance. We took his word. For the second refill, we bought only bajra and it became a hit. By evening they would polish off each grain, leaving behind just the chaff or very poor quality grains.

It started with a pair of doves. This was followed by another pair of spotted doves. They became regulars. Fighting amongst each other was common, but then they had their own method in their madness. They staggered their timings and visited the feeder alternatively to pick grains.

Soon, sparrows arrived on the scene. They used to be around but our feeder was not where they ate from. One day, I saw a ‘Chidda and Chiddi’ helping themselves along with a pair of doves. They all sat in the feeder to peck on the grains without a fight.

One day, during my morning walk, I saw one of the neighbours spreading roti in a shallow trough. On inquiring, he told me ‘bulbuls’ relish it. This gave me the idea to spread the leftovers from our kitchen. This was not a regular practice, but when you spread roti, it was all gone by midday.

Sparrows, Bulbuls and Doves were now enjoying the change in menu. They knew that grains would always be there and this would be an additional treat. Since then, we always had an extra roti made and called it “Chiya ki roti”. I make sure that I break it into small pieces and spread it for them.

Today, I was surprised. The strength of the birds has increased tremendously. Before, I could take a photo of the largest flock, they flew away, but came back to savour the spread. I counted more than fifteen of them. It was a very healthy sign. In the evening they were a cloud against a cloud.

Birds definitely were multiplying, or maybe getting their friends along. For us it was a privilege to feed them and see them congregate infront of our house.

Another encouraging sign was the two moringa trees which I had grown from seeds are now more than twenty feet high. They are flowering and would be a centre of attraction for many insects, bees and birds. The birds which I used to capture on the neighbour’s Drumstick tree would now surely find a place to roost here and pose for me like hither to fore.

Butterflies have also started making their rounds. This was revealed when I inspected the ‘Amaltas’ plant which I planted. ‘Caterpillars’ have eaten most of the leaves. It doesn’t matter, till the time we see some butterflies flutter around in the garden.

A yellow flower also caught my attention. Most of you would recognise it. A fly, bee, and ants were sticking to the core which caught my attention. A bee was already feeding on its pollen.

One feels satisfied to see the bird and insect activity around the house. What more can we do for them, especially the sparrows which are disappearing from the towns and cities rapidly? I wonder!!!!!!

https://youtu.be/23FIspHLZDA