LT COL NOEL ELLIS
26/VIII/2025
It was another cloudy and rainy day today. Since yesterday it has been drizzling in tiniest of droplets called ‘Jhirmir’ locally. When it rains intermittently it is called boonda-baandi or a scattered drizzle. When it rains continuously it is called ‘Jhari’. When it rains very heavily, they call it Moosladhar or Jhama-Jham. Now you guys know the difference. Today, it was the first one.
Here, the rain is delayed. The crops were parched and needed rain desperately. Our rain lilies too were waiting to erupt again after a break in the rain. They just stole my heart away when I saw ten different colour buds popping out of the plants. All the hard work which went into getting them to flower was showing the best results. A “dili tamanna” is that all 26 different rain lilies should bloom together.
By the way, I do not look for subjects to write on, the subjects come to me. Here is an activity which I enjoyed indulging in.
Bird activity in our and the common garden has increased manifold after the rains. It is time for the Alexandrine Parakeets to return to the Almond trees this time of the year. They love to gnaw on its fruit. I am not sure if they crack open the hard shell or the kernel to enjoy the core, but they have returned and in great numbers.
One has been trying to catch them in flight in the evening when they return home but they are too fast and high to get a clear photo. They sing and screech as they fly. Their distinct sound reverberates in the sky echoing the trail of flight, as I wait to photograph the birds which fly much low.
Last evening, as it was “bhisti pare tapur tupur”, I did not carry my camera to the roof. I keenly watched parrots posing for me. That scene had to be captured. I rushed down to get my camera. The shake in the video is because I was breathing heavily. One of the parrots gave me a long shot.
This morning was no different. They came in a big flock. I was engrossed in a conversation with my morning walker friend outside our home, when I heard a loud chatter of the parrots. A group of about ten of them came and sat on our solar panel and were conversing with each other like we humans were.
What a privilege, I would say that they found our panels suitable to take a break while they were on their morning chores. With no camera in hand, I let them be, hoping that if they fly away some other gang would come and perch at the same place.
These darlings never disappoint me. Soon enough they returned. My walk was over and I had all the time to get into action. These parrots were all over the common garden. I couldn’t catch them on the trees as the canopy is quite thick, but as they played around the lightning conductor, they could not escape the camera.
I wish Mithee the budgerigar which flew into our home a couple of days back was from the same parrot family. We could have returned her to the wild. I am sure the flock would have accepted her and taken her with them.
Till the time there is fruit on the Almond trees, these friends would return twice a day. Looking forward to a clear day, with adequate natural light to take better pictures of these lovely birds.
When will that be? I wonder!!!!!!!
JAI HIND
©® NOEL ELLIS
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