Birds in my compound

‘Twee twee twee!’ -it was not yet dawn and normally being a late riser .I just did not feel like getting up from bed. February 2010 has not been too bad after all[the thought flitted in mind as I just pulled up the warm blanket up to my neck and huddling deep into it went back to my most coveted early morning sleep.’
Tweeeee tweeee’ -this time it was longer. It must be the magpie Robin .It had vacated our tree in front of our hall and had hidden itself into the depths of another almond tree in my backyard. I had been very disappointed that it had not only rejected my little dwelling for her and vacated the tree but had also chosen another comfortable nest somewhere where I could not even see her. The only redeeming thought was that her motive was not to reject me but was something else.
Twee twee twee --what was this in aid of now? I just could not sleep any longer. I rushed out of bed and quickly brushing my teeth ran to the grilled window in my hall. What a pleasant surprise!. It had made its appearance once again., not on the window but on the tree. I was happy with the small mercy. I felt it had conveyed something to me
“Don’t you think too much of yourself. Your two broken pieces of cardboard are mere junk to me. Can you give me this soft green cushion? Can you give me this dark brown branch to perch? I am a free bird. I can make my nest anywhere. You human beings think that you are giving us comfort by building houses for us. It would be greater if you preserve the houses given by our Creator.”

Let it not build its nest on my window; it has at least come back to sit within eyesight and entertain me. Perhaps it has found few other friends on this tree. Of late, I have been sighting some other little birds. I do not know its real name but I have christened one. It has a small , brown bun like chignon , right on top of its head. So we just call it ‘bird with the bun’ It looks like bul-bul..There is also another one. This is a slightly bigger one and looks jet black. But it has red beady eyes .
I have private chit chat s with these birds but one day one of them just let me down.Well,I admit it was really my fault. I had kept some milk on the stove and was getting ready to make my husband’s coffee, when this little koel started her melodious ‘kooh kooh ! ‘kooh!kooh’]it was too joyous to miss and I responded with a loud ‘kooh’of mine. The little bird became even more enthusiastic that there was someone playing anthakshari with her and gave a counter’kooh kooh’.Now I was just thrilled to bits that she had responded to my song and went on ‘kooh kooh kooh’ louder. She sang a counter tune. But suddenly instead of the ‘kooh’ sound emerging from my throat I heard a ‘sssss’ sound from the stove. The milk had boiled over and my husband ,on hearing the ‘sssss’of the milk rushed out to see what had happened. I’ just gave him a sheepish grin and made him his coffee. I had of course to clean up the mess but who cares? The little musical exchange I had had with my sweet little bird made my day and still the sense of well being is fresh in my mind.

There were two brown birds avidly flying back and forth today up to my window sill. They were vigorously inspecting the cardboard box that I have made for them. I even saw one twig in one bird’shand.But, I do not know what goes on in the mind of the crow today. It just snaps at the bird and almost clutched it and knocked it down viciously , refusing to allow entry to the bird. I just cannot understand why. of course I know I cannot figure out what goes on in the crow’s mind but this does not prevent me from cursing the cheapskate. I have been feeding this wretched crow regularly and am almost tempted to starve it henceforth. The only thought that prevents me from doing it is that it may not be the same crow.
Today the little brown bird peeked into the cardboard box, entered it and inspected it for quite along time. The next moment I see its mate sitting side by side and bother were looking out at the tree s in front like a honeymoon couple enjoying resplendent nature in Kodaikanal.Ah! I became very optimistic that some planning is going on in their little minds and the day is not far away when their little one is to find its comfortable nest here in my window sill. I also saw the brown birds flying across and believe it , one of the birds was tugging vigorously at a twig to pull it out from the branch. I am almost sure that it is planning to build the nest here. The house seems to have got its approval. Let me wait .After all , both of them had inspected the place. The wife has no cause to complain.
But these seem to be worse than a new couple who are inspecting a house , checking whether it has twenty four hour water supply , drainage problems, maintenance hassles or mosquitoes. Now they have been peeking every now and then but have not still started their building their nest. I am waiting and waiting.



Anthakshari-- a game where contestants sing film songs one after another, making it a counter tune to the previous one.