Lesson from a Red Vented Bulbul - Day 4

Today, the nest is almost made.  I took two pictures when they were not around.

They are done, almost.  But the birds are not ones who compromise on perfection.  They continue to bring tufts of cotton or whatever in their beaks and keep working on it. 

Lesson from a Red Vented Bulbul - Day 3

The process of building a nest continues.  I find that only one of them builds the nest.  The other one(bigger of the two) sits nearby and watches as the nest is built.  Of course, when the smaller one goes to collect twigs, they go together.

From the above, I surmise that it is the female that builds the nest.  No, the husband is caring.  He brought in his beak something and called out to her.  So, I guess he is getting food for her as she is busy building their home.  

Also, as the nest is being built, this little bird sits in her nest and moves in all directions.  I wondered what she is upto first, but then reasoned the following:

a.  She has to live in the nest and hence is testing the strength.

b.  It must be the right size and depth as it must hold the eggs as well as the bird.

So, as the nest is being built, I sit here, looking out of the window, marvelling at nature.  How she teaches different beings what is needed to survive.  I am also working, slow as a snail, but working, motivated by this small bird.  I have started believing she is a God send, as I had not been working at all and was getting demotivated.  So, a good sign.

Now, at five minutes to four, it has started drizzling.  So, work has stopped.  I don't find them coming anymore.  Guess, they've decided against working in the rain.

I wanted to take a photo but that would involve opening the window nearby.  I am apprehensive that if I disturb them, they might leave the nest.  Shall try tomorrow.

Orchids - Beauty Unparallel

Orchids are my favourite.  I love the dancing dolls especially.  Some photos of orchids taken on a visit to a botanical garden.  There were so many of them, big and small, pink, yellow and white.  They were a delight to see.

Lesson from a Red Vented Bulbul - Day 2

Yesterday, they failed.  Only two twigs were there in the evening.  Today morning, I reach at 10:30 and they are back to work with around 10 more twigs.  The nest is not stable and twigs keep falling as they build.  So, now they are bringing something white and fluffy, which looks like cotton or pieces of cloth and running it trough the twigs and then turning the twigs to go round.  Engineers cum designers cum architects cum interior decorators all in one, at work.

It is 6:00 p.m. now, and the foundation is almost done I guess....now to build up......they continue still as it is yet to turn dark, being summer.  Looks like the steel is holding with the help of wires.

Lesson from a Red Vented Bulbul - Day 1

Today, right now, I sit here in my workplace, feeling down.  For one, the cramps on my legs from today morning still hurt.  Second, the fire and urge to work is not there today and is becoming a habit nowadays.  So, I am doing my favourite thing - watching the world outside the window, daydreaming, as befits my name.  Right next to where I sit, is the window.  I always leave the venetian blinds where I sit open, so that I get to see the world, the forest, green and full of life.  This place is the favourite of a lot of birds due to the density of shrubs and dearth of mankind walking around.  It is my favourite because I get to watch them, everyday, whenever I feel like it.  I get to see the games they play, listen to their calls and see them taking rest on a hot day.  They also come to drink water from the airconditioner outlet right next to the window. 

So, as I watch out, I see two Red Vented Bulbuls trying to build a nest on the aircondition power and cooling lines that go from near ground level past the sunshade onto the roof.  One of them is sitting on a tree closeby while the other has a twig in her mouth.  There are two fat lines and she is trying to build a nest at the bend close to the ceiling of the sunshade.  She tries the first time, the twig falls off.  Hardly has the twig reached the ground, she flies down, picks it up and is back.  She tries again and the twig falls again.  She swoops down again, picks up the twig and comes back.  A third time and still she fails.  Then she flies off.  I think, she has given up.  But no, in a matter of seconds, she is back.  This time with a twig that is not straight but curved.  Oh boy, has she brains.  She tries to push the twig through the two wires.  It falls off and she tries again like the previous time.  And again and again.  No chance.  So she then flutters around the lines and the sunshade surveying the place, trying to see I guess what will keep the twig in place.  Amazing.  She is continuing to do this still, as I write and I am hoping she gets it right.  She will I am sure.

A tiny bird, weighing hardly an ounce has the perseverance, that I don't.  She wants to build a house and is working on it with so much courage and willpower, something I am not having right now. 

Oh tiny bird, you may be small, but you taught me such an important lesson today.  Hard work pays.  I salute you, your will power, your courage, your perseverance.  You may be tiny but you are amazing and brilliant.

Comeon, there's room for more.

Found this when browsing today morning.  Have a great day.  :)

Union Carbide, now Dow Chemicals

One morning, I woke up to hear news of the leak in the Union Carbide.  I was only a teenager with not much knowledge of the workings of this world.  But what I learnt that day was an eyeopener about this world.  The real world.  Where big corporations for profit flout safety norms and belittle lives of others.  The pictures on TV and the newspapers was gory.  Poisonous gas leaked one morning in December, 1984.  People died in their sleep, others left alive to live a life of I don't know what to call it.  Have been following what has been happening about the matter and every time there is a mention my ears prick up for the pictures play in my mind still.  The pictures that refuse to fade away.  I wasn't there but still, that is the effect it had.  There are a few heroes in this story too.  Heroes who have been waging a battle against government apathy and a mighty corporation, which continues to exist and do business in this country still, albeit in another name.  Whither justice I have wondered ?

This is Kaliyug according to Hinduism where the battle between good and evil is fought and in Kaliyug, the evil forces are powerful is what they say.  I have grow to believe that seeing how this disaster is being handled.  Yesterday, the judiciary handed over 2 year punishments to people who killed over 20,000 and over a half a million with diseases unspeakable.  Even generations later, the after effects are there to see.  Whither justice.  Yes, she is blind but then, I feel now that she has turned deaf and heartless too.  The Chairman of Union Carbide is said to be an absconding person, according to the US and Indian government, when actually he lives in a sprawling mansion known to everyone.  Forget the US government, what is our government doing ?  We bend over backwards to accomodate them, other governments, their policies and the mighty corporations. 

I guess, in India, the life of a commonman like me is worth nothing.  It just makes up numbers.  A few thousand more, a few thousand less makes no difference, especially to the mighty and rich, especially to the politicians.  For them it is all a game of numbers.  Why not, public memory is so short.  They can afford such games.  Such apathy towards human life coming from a country which was built on such great principles is shameful to see.  I can say no more.

Garda Lake

Today, a weekend has been one of reminiscences.  Reminiscing the past - of the trip to Italy.  So, adding a photo from a visit to the Garda Lake.  It was a beautiful day when we set out to see the lake.  A day when the climate changed so fast especially in the evening when the fog set in.  So much that we couldn't see what was there a few feet away. 

It was fun collecting pebbles from her beaches.  They were of different hues, shapes and sizes.  My best collection is one the shape of a heart, another green and another light pink.  Magic of the lake captured in stone.

Dawn

Neither night nor day

We had a visitor

I woke up and looked out of the window. The first thing I saw was this beautiful 'Kuil' in Malayalam and Tamil, the 'Koel' in other Indian languages and the 'Cuckoo' in English sitting on one of the branches of my tree friend. This is a small one, a youngster.

The mother lays an egg is laid in the host's nest and once hatched the chick forces the other eggs and hatchlings out of the nest. Once the small one is out of the nest, the parent takes care of them.

My parents had a nice way of putting the same: The Kuil did not know how to build her nest nor does she bother to learn. So, when it is time to lay her eggs, she visits a crows nest. She lays her egg in the crows nest when the crow goes away in search of food. When the eggs hatch, the crow to her surprise finds a spotted kid. The crow is happy and takes care of the spotted one more than the others for the others are black like her. At the same time, the mother Kuil comes everyday and sits on the same tree and sings her song. This goes on till the kids are a little old. When it is time to learn to fly, the mother Kuil prods her kid to sing the song. When the little one opens her mouth, what comes out is a Koo, Koo instead of the Caw, Caw of a crow. That is when the crow understands, she has been duped. She fights with the mother Kuil and throws the kid out of her nest. The mother Kuil then takes her child with her and teaches her how to sing. and fly(but not to build a nest, for she herself does not know). Moral - nothing comes good out of laziness(Kuil not learning how to build her nest) and there is only disgrace in doing wrong.

Man's folly - how many more will mother earth take ?

The pictures below(courtesy the web) show the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Result of man's carelessness and callousness.

A bird struggling to stay alive.


A dead jelly fish.
A dragon fly trying to clean her wings.

What's it between monkeys and dogs ?

Last sunday evening, coming out of the department, I found a pack of four dogs, barking and trying to climb up the tree. I looked up and there were two monkeys on the tree. No, don't sympathize with the monkeys as yet. They were no less. One of them, was fooling around jumping from one branch to another or by coming halfway down the tree just to get the dogs a little more agitated. And there was another one, breaking away the dried up and small branches and flinging at the dogs barking below with precision. This went on till the dogs got tired of it and went a distance away to rest.




The monkey waited for sometime and after fifteen minutes, when the dogs showed no interest, got bored I guess. He came down the tree and sat on the ground. Still, the dogs showed no interest. So, he chattered a bit, getting the dogs attention. The dogs got ready for the charge. And when they were nearly there, he shot up the tree and they, the twosome returned back to their old tricks. This went on for how long, I know not for I realized that either side would not give up. So, I clicked a few photos and then went my way.



Cycling down the roads, where trees other than the neem, peepal and tamarind stand lifeless I remembered my most loving dog, Michael. There was a Jamun tree at home, with a branch that was low. This was a huge piece of land where my dad indulged in his passion for the bovine and the canine. Michael was young and he was loved by us as well as all the cows. They even let him drink milk from them.

One day came a former self of the type homo sapien, a monkey. He had a long, long tail. Michael immediately set himself the task of guarding his territory. The monkey wouldn't budge and started playing. He lay down on the horizontal branch of the the Jamun and let his long tail down. Michael seeing this, calculated the height and started walking a few yards away. He started and then paced down the stretch ending with a high jump to catch the monkey's tail. At the right time, the monkey would lift his tail up with his hands and chatter, laughing at Michael. This routine went on and on till I realized that I couldn't make what they were upto. Why was the monkey putting his tail down if he didn't want it caught and why was Michael chasing when he knew that he wouldn't be able to catch it. No amount of calling out to Michael to give up worked.

Seeing the same repeated today, I again wondered, 'What's it between monkeys and dogs ?'

Life is Beautiful

I love elephants. Huge yet humble, large yet handsome, they are what you can call epitomising might without wearing it on your sleeves. One of the reasons I love going to Guruvayoor is the same. Yes, always a little sad that those who should be roaming free in the forest are chained. Thank god the temple has stopped accepting new elephants. Hope the temple thinks of acquiring land with its huge resources and making it an elephant sanctuary or adopting an elephant sanctuary. That would serve the purpose.

The below is a video of an elephant taken in the wild. He was happy standing there on the rock till we disturbed him.