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SHIKRA & WHITE WAGTAIL


 

LT COL NOEL ELLIS

 

12/XI/2025

 

One is so privileged to have green surroundings around the house. With the fall season creeping in just before winter, the landscape is getting more enchanting.

 

The Almonds trees are shedding their leaves. Their fruit has ripened and falling, littering the ground. Alexandrine Parrots are having a field day munching on them.

 

You step out of the house and you find some birds which start visiting in this season. I am talking of a few of my Birdie friends who call out to me to mark their presence.

 

The other day, we met two birds from the falcon family. The Safed Baaz and an Eagle. Which reminded me that our friend ‘Mr Shikra’ had been missing from action. They say, if you sincerely wish from your heart, the wish gets fulfilled.

 

I had just finished watering the pots. My wife and I were discussing a few changes to be done in the garden when from the side of my eyes I saw a bird fly by. Shikra, I said. It had come and perched in our neighbour’s neem tree.

 

One had to dart inside to fetch the camera before my friend moved to greener pastures. Once you wet the pots, many insects get disturbed. Numerous Crickets and Grasshoppers have made them their home. An odd juicy Locust which is also from the Grasshopper family emerges from the foliage, which is a delicacy for these birds.

 

Mr Shikra, (Accipiter Badius) sat there grooming himself, looking at me and then totally ignoring me. I liked the attitude. The bird was confident that I meant no harm. If a bird starts straightening its feathers right infront of you, it means all is well. I let her do her ‘make up’ in peace while I kept the shutter button on the camera going.

 

Having scanned the vicinity, Mr ‘S’ flew a few houses down the lane. I thought, because it could not spot any shikar, it must have decided to find some in that area. I followed its flight and there he was sitting and on a lookout with its gleamy eyes. It was the first time I heard it call. A high pitched screech was what it was.

 

That is when I discovered the secret. There was ‘Ms Shikra’ also hiding in that tree. They must have been chasing each other, while I thought they were on Shikar. Ms S was too deep inside the foliage for me to capture. I wished I could picture both of them together or sitting close by at least. Something distracted them and they both took flight. Goodbye my friends.

 

I was still missing another friend of mine. She gave a guest appearance yesterday and was bound to reappear today. The question was when and where. The “White Wagtail” or “Motacilla Alba” loves to feed in the lawn infront of our garden. From insects, worms, and moths, she gobbles all that she can find.

 

As I walked around, I spotted her on the side of the lawn bobbing her tail like a vibrating finger. Today, she was picking up something white from the grass. Could it be ant eggs? A thought just passed my mind. I did not want to disturb her while she fed herself. One could wait a while to check, till she moved to some other area to feed.

 

A moth emerged and she chased it, caught it, and devoured it. This girl kept pecking and almost came as close as a hand's distance from me. I stood like a statue, lest she got scared. Though my mind was itching to get the camera into action but my heart said, let the girl feed well. She might have chicks to feed.

 

A morning walker disturbed her meal and off she went. It was time for me to find what she was eating? It was ‘Murmuras’ or rice puffs which the kids must have eaten on the lawn the day before. The packet was still there and the contents lay strewn on the lawn.

 

Imagine, this girl had adapted to the human style of eating snacks. Maybe, it must be for a change of taste. It reminded me that it is time to get some roasted monkey nuts from the local “Bharbhoonja” who sits on the road side on the way to the market.

 

Satisfied with my days finds and bonding with my friends, breakfast was what I needed to satisfy my own hunger. The morning cup of tea in the garden wasn’t enough.

 

I looked up towards the sky and I saw the moon cut into half like a pizza slashed into two. I winked at it and reached home to pen my thoughts.

 

These chance encounters can make your day. Do you agree? I wonder!!!!!!

 

JAI HIND
©® NOEL ELLIS













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