Happy New Year! Let’s hope 2022 turns out a lot better than 2021. To start things off on a positive note, here’s a fun post for you. 

If you’ve read my previous post, you will know that my father was seriously ill from post COVID complications and as a result, I stayed in Pune for almost four months after many many years. The positive outcome of all the COVID lockdowns is that the bird population has increased and many different bird species have started coming to the terrace garden in my parents’ home. 

The Poolside Buffet

My mother has a green thumb and she has put in years of love and effort in creating a green haven. She was one of the first people in Pune to start composting. One terrace has the compost pit along with plants and a bird bath, which has become a meeting place for many birds. I call it the poolside buffet for birds. 

Since we were house bound through Dad’s illness, I spent some time watching the birds. Over the days, it became a fascination and a reprieve from the constant stress. Initially, only bulbuls (passerine birds) would come to the terrace. For them the real treat is the bird bath. They sit on the branches around, chatting with each other and taking noisy dips in the water one by one, all the while fluttering their wings and creating a pool on the floor. One day, I counted as many as ten bulbuls!

The other regular visitor is a bharadwaj (greater coucal). He comes ever single day at around 2pm and finds something in the compost to eat; a seed of a fruit, insects or really anything that catches his fancy. I suppose it’s his lunch venue.

I like to believe that word got around about this pool and buffet because as the days went by, three different kinds of small sunbirds began to appear. One day a flycatcher showed up, rather tentatively, to test the waters. After having a good look around, he took a quick dip. He has become a bit more regular since as have some magpie robins.

As I spent more and more time watching birds not only on the terrace but around the apartment, I started noticing more species I hadn’t before, like the absolutely stunning bee-eater. Unfortunately the bee-eater was a bit far, idling on various wires so I couldn’t get a good picture but you can see it on this link. This variety, called the little green bee-eater, is an absolute treat to watch. When they spread their wings they look like flying kites.  

One fine day, I popped into the terrace and there it was, a huge grey hornbill, just sitting on the tree branch in the terrace. It emanated a calm majesty with its magnificent beak. When It flew, I was awestruck. 

Bird Therapy

Over the months, I noticed that like humans, birds have very distinctive personalities. For example, I discovered (only my observation) that maynas are bullies and the smaller birds are scared of them but bulbuls don’t mind sharing the birdbath while the bharadwajas are there for the sole purpose of food. 

I like watching birds because it makes me happy. I am using ‘watching birds’ purposefully instead of ‘birdwatching’ because I only want to watch them, not necessarily study them. Their flight, their playfulness, their chatter is entertaining and also gives me tremendous joy. I feel closer to nature and more peaceful when I watch birds. This is what life should be about, no? Enjoying small pleasures in the moment. 

“Overcome space, and all we have left is Here. Overcome time, and all we have left is Now.”

― Richard Bach, Jonathan Livingston Seagull

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