My Encounter with Other Birds

  

 

Every month or so, I come across some new species or existing species that I haven't encountered before. Here are some of the few species I encountered or observed their activities in a brief manner.

      

Southern Coucals

There are several Southern Coucals in our layout. Like the Babblers, they wake up early and call loudly to wake up other birds and of Course humans too. I have seen them busy foraging from one bush to another or from one tree to another during the daytime. One day, as I observed SC wandering around the meadow went go stock still when a grey mongoose suddenly came before it. The Coucal was on a bigger shrub. It was a bit terrified upon seeing the mammal. The mongoose tried its best to reach out to it. Coucal was a bit high and made sure the mongoose did not get at it. Finally, after some failed attempts to reach SC, the mongoose went away.

         

On one summer day, one of the Southern Coucal took shelter in our porch. My grannie panicked by the sight of it. It flew off as soon as it sighted my grannie. She wondered if this bird would bring a bad omen. I had to assure her that this bird when sighted in the morning hours is a good omen.

 

Grey Francolin – At times I used to sight some grey birds smaller than chicken, walk in and around the meadow in the layout with their partner and young ones. They usually cross the muddy and isolated roads at full speed as they sight a motor vehicle coming nearby.  They are more active at dawn at the meadow calling one partner to another from one end of the meadow to another.  One early morning, I heard something bang into the window while I was performing Yoga on the first floor. I happened to see a Grey Francolin adult frantically trying a way to escape from the terrace. I called out to it to help. However, it somehow snuggled through the railing grill and flew down. I wondered what it was doing on the first floor. This species is mostly found on the ground.

 

Indian Grey Hornbill – They too are common here. Mostly sighted around early morning and late evenings on the coconut trees or any other tall trees of the layout. They get frenzied whenever they see humans nearby. Sometimes they come in flocks or just single ones. They too love to relish on fruits, esp papaya and the berries of audumbara (Ficus racemosa) tree, whenever the fruits are ripened in our garden.

         

 

Cattle Egret- These white birds come in flocks and are always seen following the cows grazing in the meadows. Neighborhood cowherds bring their cows to our layout to graze as the meadow is rich in greenery. Most of the time, we see these white birds following them to get a chance to grab bugs on the cow’s back or near their legs. It was hilarious when one of the birds sat on one of the cow’s back. The cow was patient, grazed for some time, and later did its best to push it away in disgust. So, whenever I spot this bird fly around the layout, it signifies that the cows have arrived with their masters.

  

Cinereous Tit- These are small-sized birds with a bluish-grey back.  The blue shade is easily spotted around the greenery of the meadow. I have observed them mostly feeding on some berries whose plants grow in the meadows. During summer, they frequent our garden to have a dip into the water bowl laid out for them. 

 

       

White-spotted Fantail and Tickell Blue Flycatcher – Both of them are insectivorous birds like the Robins. They dwell in the woods and stop by our garden to have a bath once in the mornings and in the evenings. Both of them have a tuneful call which makes us aware of their presence in the garden. 

The Fantail is quite restless and sometimes picky When it visits our garden, it makes sure there are no other species near the water bowls and then takes a dip whereas the flycatcher is more relaxed. It waits on the column pillar till the parakeets' gossip and feeding are over and then comes down to take a dip.