LT COL NOEL ELLIS
17/IX/2025
It was finally time to bid farewell to our very loving budgie called Mithee. She arrived out of thin air. Where did she come from? How did she travel in this unforgiving environment? We don’t know.
She was destined to give us happiness for this period without any fuss. Initially, we had no idea what to do with her. Mithee appeared weak and frail. She had been hungry for many days. She also was too tired to fly.
When my wife bought her small bowl of water, she dived into it and drank to her heart's content. By joe, was she thirsty! We felt relieved. What to give her to eat was the question? Everyday, I feed the birds outside with Bajra, same was served to her.
We spread some grains in a saucer. She recognised food immediately. Mithee wasted no time to dive in. She was not used to the window sill and the security grill where she had perched. A small knock here and there and she came down to feed herself. She loved the grain, another relief to us.
Weak on arrival, she submitted herself to us. She would ride my finger, even sit on my shoulder. But within a week, she became independent. Then on, no riding the finger.
Early morning she would call to tell us it was feed time. As the curtains were drawn, even though the sun was yet to rise, our girl would find her water and food bowl and start cracking the grains. She would crunch bajra as if it had been milled in a grinder. The residue looked like fine powder.
She did not chirp much for about a week. Then she would fly around once the sun was up. We thought maybe she was missing her home. She was in an unfamiliar place, facing unfamiliar people could also be another reason. Ten days later, she would chirp at the top of her voice pacing side to side on the security grill. She could talk to her own reflection in the glass all day.
Mithee loved to watch other birds arriving at the feeder in the veranda. She would call out to them. Probably she wanted to join them.
Her last meal of the day used to depend on the circumstances. Sometimes she would come down for a ‘midnight snack’, if we were watching a movie.
She wouldn’t allow my wife to sit on the sofa. She would screech and scream and even dive towards her head. It was her territory. Afterwards, my wife would vacate that seat and then she would calm down. But she knew that the water and feed change was done by my wife.
Many people came over to see her, when I put it on the group for ‘lost and found’. There were no claimants though. We had two choices. One, to set her free like she came to us. Two, give her for adoption. Option one was ruled out. A hunt began for a good home. My cousin volunteered but she stayed far away.
Finally, I found a person. This man owned Budgerigars as pets. He had a cage and about half a dozen of them. I just mentioned to him if he would help us find a good home for Mithee and his answer was affirmative.
Finally, today we decided to bid her farewell today. Now that she was flying around freely, she was difficult to catch. We had to switch off all the fans, lest she got hurt. Then with great difficulty, I caught her while my wife prepared a basket for her transport.
All these days, we could not switch on the fans for her safety. We had to switch on the AC instead. But then this girl would feel cold. She would huddle up in a corner and we knew she must be feeling cold. We had no choice but to switch it off and move to another room.
Darling Mithee used to sleep with her neck fully turned and her head tucked in her back. Any amount of noise could not disturb her. But the moment you played music; it was dancing time for her. Maybe certain notes touched a chord with her. She would chirp excitedly as if enjoying music.
Goodbye friend Mithee. You gave us so much joy and companionship. Now you are with your kin and a person who cares, you would be happier.
Just before I left, I asked that person to tell me the gender of Mithee. It is a male, he said. Pigmentation around its nostrils on the beak is blue. It was a revelation for me. We always thought Mithee was a she. Never mind.
Will she fly back to us someday? I wonder!!!!!!!!
JAI HIND
©® NOEL ELLIS
Interesting write Noel. Mithee might surprise you some day. Thanks dear...
ReplyDeleteThank you
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