Gabon is a bird watcher's paradise.
I have swallows, weavers, pretty little munias, kingfishers .........all visiting my garden.....not to mention countless other species that I cannot identify.
A few days ago, we found a nest lying in the garden. Thankfully it was empty. It would have been very distressing had there been eggs or babies inside.
For the last few months, I have closely watched the weavers in action. It's such a joy watching them hard at work....quietly tearing thin strips off Palm leaves and then weaving them intricately to create a nest.
The funny thing is that they all decide to work towards the survival of their species at the same time :) .........And then suddenly one finds trees overloaded with their nests.
And what a racket they make!... All trying to make their voice heard over that of the others.
Another amusing thing about the weavers is that they favour some trees over others. As if building a nest on a particular tree is THE thing to do. Just like us humans, isn't it? Aren't we eager to have fancy residential addresses in upmarket areas?
One morning, just before day break, while I was still in bed, I found that the birds were being louder than usual. What a delightful cacophony they were making!
Why would they be doing that?
Oh! They were just being their usual selves.
In fact, it was the regular whirring of the AC which was absent. Even the monotonous static created by the various electrical appliances had died down. For me, this silence was unfamiliar, different from the silence created by not making noise.
But it was definitely pleasant!
We were having a power cut. Not the first one, of course. But yes, it was the first time that I had woken up to the sound of birds.
I had woken up to the sounds of silence......
Musical whistles, shrill cries, deep throated calls, silly chirping...... I listened to the sounds with fascination.
It was such a fun exercise focussing on one sound and isolating it from the rest. It was also fun trying to imagine what the birds would be saying to each other.
"Good Bye Papa. Come home soon." Babies would be saying.
"Get some of those green worms, will you? They are juicier." Mrs. Bird must be instructing her husband.
They must be having some sort of conversation, isn't it? Or else why would they be making so much noise?
It could be a trivial thing for many, but for me it was one of the sweet little pleasures of life which linger in the memory forever.
I have swallows, weavers, pretty little munias, kingfishers .........all visiting my garden.....not to mention countless other species that I cannot identify.
A few days ago, we found a nest lying in the garden. Thankfully it was empty. It would have been very distressing had there been eggs or babies inside.
For the last few months, I have closely watched the weavers in action. It's such a joy watching them hard at work....quietly tearing thin strips off Palm leaves and then weaving them intricately to create a nest.
The funny thing is that they all decide to work towards the survival of their species at the same time :) .........And then suddenly one finds trees overloaded with their nests.
And what a racket they make!... All trying to make their voice heard over that of the others.
Another amusing thing about the weavers is that they favour some trees over others. As if building a nest on a particular tree is THE thing to do. Just like us humans, isn't it? Aren't we eager to have fancy residential addresses in upmarket areas?
One morning, just before day break, while I was still in bed, I found that the birds were being louder than usual. What a delightful cacophony they were making!
Why would they be doing that?
Oh! They were just being their usual selves.
In fact, it was the regular whirring of the AC which was absent. Even the monotonous static created by the various electrical appliances had died down. For me, this silence was unfamiliar, different from the silence created by not making noise.
But it was definitely pleasant!
We were having a power cut. Not the first one, of course. But yes, it was the first time that I had woken up to the sound of birds.
I had woken up to the sounds of silence......
Musical whistles, shrill cries, deep throated calls, silly chirping...... I listened to the sounds with fascination.
It was such a fun exercise focussing on one sound and isolating it from the rest. It was also fun trying to imagine what the birds would be saying to each other.
"Good Bye Papa. Come home soon." Babies would be saying.
"Get some of those green worms, will you? They are juicier." Mrs. Bird must be instructing her husband.
They must be having some sort of conversation, isn't it? Or else why would they be making so much noise?
It could be a trivial thing for many, but for me it was one of the sweet little pleasures of life which linger in the memory forever.
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