Just back from a quick trip to Bangalore. The reason-to-go was a wedding in the family. What I did a lot was spend time in a car - a nice, comfy black car actually, much better than any cab I could have taken - as I went from one part of the city to another. So, an hour from the station to Indira Nagar, almost two hours from there to Banashankari, getting lost from there to Jayanagar, before I headed back to the station.
Okay, okay, it was not all on the same day, and in the middle of that I did have my auto rides in the city as well, but you get the point. You dont? What I'm trying to say was that I was on the streets a lot of the time, and as we were stuck in traffic with nothing to do, it gave me more than enough time to stare at the skies, trees and buildings all around!
And as a result, I saw kites in the air, kites roosting on the cell station towers, kites sitting on water tanks, coconut trees and the advertising hoardings, you know I think I saw more kites than crows in Bangalore this time! Black kites, Brahminy kites and I think a black-shouldered one as well. I cursed since I had not taken my binocs (what kind of a bad birder am I?) and neither did I have a camera. I did have some silk sarees though, not that it helped.
So, why are there so many of these raptors in Baangalore? I wonder if it is to do with the stony nature of the terrain, lots of building activity, and vermin being displaced from their hidey holes. Or is it the garbage?
Its not only me, even the recent cricket match saw Spectators of a different kind
And Charlie, the better birder that he is, had his camera on the ready to click this feeding black kite
Shall pack that binocs the next time, I promise.
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Funny what people do and don't observe! In my recent trip to Bangalore, I don't recall seeing a single kite!! I wonder if anyone has the answer to your question.
ReplyDeleteNice read, flower girl! Now if you had taken your camera, would there have been so many kites around?
ReplyDeleteNow I'm worried Kamini, maybe I'm getting too obsessed?!
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, Raji I am always a bunny for that Murphy's Law - when I have the camera/binocs there isn't much to see!!
It's the garbage, sadly. And at stadia, the food stalls.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting, but the further you go from the city and towards forests, the fewer black kites you see.
We always had a lot of kites here. Back in school, we were warned to look out for them near the tuck shop. They would swoop down and snatch your snack before you could taste it.
Beej, well there seems to be some "positive" about the garbage!! But Madras also has its fair share of garbage, but we dont see so many here...
ReplyDeleteYes, I recall when we were in Delhi as schoolkids, we would throw bread up in the air an be delighted whne the kites would just pluck it out of the air!
Now brahminy kites used to be Chennai, now we dont see them, enough garbage here for kitest but i think we have more crows vs Blre.
ReplyDelete