The Odhiyam tree (Lannea coromandelica) in our neighbour's garden is bare at the moment. No, not dying or anything just going through its annual shedding phase. It is a wonderful time for backyard birding.
At dawn, I heard a Flameback woodpecker at the tree, but it moved into the more leafy Badam (Terminalia catappa). Later in the morning, the sunbirds hurried through it, they never seem to have a moment to sit and stare, always moving, always calling impatiently and gone in the blink of an eye.
Later, there was a female rose-ringed parakeet, and she fastidiously held a twig with neem fruits (from the neighbouring tree), and ate them one by one. Once done, she stretched until she was almost upside down looking to finish her meal with some flower buds of the Odhiyam. She seemed in no hurry to move, and I enjoyed watching her blood red curved beak and that long tail with a streak of blue.
In the afternoon, a treepie stopped for a while, surveying the neighbourhood. Obviously not up to his high standards, as he flew off with that trademark scratchy call.
After lunch as I lounged around lazily with the crossword, I heard the white breasted kingfisher too, but I was too comfortably stretched to get up and look.
The Odhiyam's leaf shedding coincides with the koel season, and every year, the males use that tree to woo their lady loves. In 2012 there was one persistent chap who kept us awake from 3 am.
Today evening there were three gorgeous black young males, and one disinterested speckled female. They called in turn, and tried to chase each other off, but all they succeeded in doing was chasing the lady away!
A crow stopped by, and seemed rather bemused at the frantic calling. One loud caw and the koels were off in a trice!
Trees. Birds. Squirrels. Butterflies. Family. All connected.
World Environment Day
At dawn, I heard a Flameback woodpecker at the tree, but it moved into the more leafy Badam (Terminalia catappa). Later in the morning, the sunbirds hurried through it, they never seem to have a moment to sit and stare, always moving, always calling impatiently and gone in the blink of an eye.
Later, there was a female rose-ringed parakeet, and she fastidiously held a twig with neem fruits (from the neighbouring tree), and ate them one by one. Once done, she stretched until she was almost upside down looking to finish her meal with some flower buds of the Odhiyam. She seemed in no hurry to move, and I enjoyed watching her blood red curved beak and that long tail with a streak of blue.
In the afternoon, a treepie stopped for a while, surveying the neighbourhood. Obviously not up to his high standards, as he flew off with that trademark scratchy call.
After lunch as I lounged around lazily with the crossword, I heard the white breasted kingfisher too, but I was too comfortably stretched to get up and look.
The Odhiyam's leaf shedding coincides with the koel season, and every year, the males use that tree to woo their lady loves. In 2012 there was one persistent chap who kept us awake from 3 am.
Today evening there were three gorgeous black young males, and one disinterested speckled female. They called in turn, and tried to chase each other off, but all they succeeded in doing was chasing the lady away!
A crow stopped by, and seemed rather bemused at the frantic calling. One loud caw and the koels were off in a trice!
Trees. Birds. Squirrels. Butterflies. Family. All connected.
World Environment Day
Lovely! All this, in a city :) It's getting on summertime here in NY, and the symphony of the birds is in full flow. It's such a treat, particularly against the backdrop of blaring sirens and horns and all the other assorted manmade urban cacophony.
ReplyDeleteI can imagine!
DeleteGood to read. I have a sumilar woody abode hidden away from the road, just off GN Chetty road.
ReplyDeleteNo traffic sound here. Plenty of birdsong.
Holding on tight for dear life.
Hold on sir, please do!
Delete