After 30 years of work, I thought it was time to call it a day. So, with my wife, I settled down in a laid-back village in Thrissur, with full of rustic charms. There I built a small house with a lawn and a kitchen garden. My garden boasts a spectrum of colourful flowers such as hibiscus, marigold and balsam. The flowers play host to a variety of butterflies.
In our backyard, we grow tropical vegetables and fruit-bearing trees such as mango, papaya, jackfruit and guava. And these trees harbour a variety of exotic birds in varying sizes and colours, both local and migrants.
Every morning at the crack of dawn, I wake up to the sound of melodious voice of birds, singing harmoniously. After a cup of filter coffee, I hoist myself on the terrace of my house, carrying with me a pair of binoculars and a well-thumped copy of The Book of Indian Birds by Salim Ali. Bird watching has become an obsession which I developed from my childhood days.
The first bird to show up as the dawn breaks is the slender and glistering black cuckoo. This is a male bird, sporting a long tail, crimson eyes and a green bill.
It sits on the branch of a mango tree and heralds the arrival of dawn by its song. The sound reverberates in the whole area of the neighbourhood. The female possesses a dull brown body, spotted and barred with white. It’s followed by the drongo, another all-black and slim bird. The distinguishing feature of this bird is its long fork-tail or fish tail. It perches itself on a telegraph wire and makes a deep whistle.
Another common visitor, which is often heard than seen, is the large green barbet. It camouflages itself among the branches of a tree and announces its presence by its loud and familiar calls, which are answered by another bird.
Then enters the crow pheasant, an all-black, slender bird. One can easily identify with its conspicuous chestnut brown wings and a long graduated tail. It makes booming sounds at regular intervals while stalking insects.
Another bird which draws my attention as the day progresses is the white-breasted kingfisher. With brilliant turquoise blue wings and chocolate brown head and neck, it sports a long, heavy, pointed red bill. It hoists itself on a telegraph wire, sits motionlessly for minutes, and suddenly pounce on unsuspected prey such as crabs and tadpoles. It’s an amazing display of aerodynamics with a crackling sound while in flight.
A golden yellow bird which is a symbol of Thrissur is the black-hooded oriole. While in flight, it’s brilliant yellow body always contrasts with the blue sky. A harsh “nasal twang” reveals its presence.
One day, we had a distinguished visitor. A paradise flycatcher graced our garden. It was a pleasant surprise. This handsome bird announced its presence by its harsh grating voice. This silvery white bird boasts metallic black-crested head and two long and narrow ribbon like feather tail. That’s its trademark.
As afternoon sets in, my favourite bird, red-whiskered bulbul, emerges from its hideout. One can recognise this bird by its sweet, mellifluous voice. It’s chocolate brown wings, black-pointed crest, a crimson patch by the side of its eyes and rump are its distinguishing features.
Another bird which attracts my attention is magpie robin. It’s a trim, black-and-white bird with cocked tail. It’s a black patch on either side of its wings. It struts around proudly around my garden looking for crabs and locusts.
The bird which I watched with amusement is none other than the golden-backed woodpecker. This bird walks vertically or on a reverse direction with ease on the trunk of a coconut tree. It has a bright yellow plumage and pointed crimson crown. It makes a piercing cackling while gliding from tree to tree.
One bird which sheds all its inhibition is the tailorbird. As the name suggests, this bird weaves a little nest with twigs and plants. It’s an active bird.
One very favourite bird which is conspicuous by its absence is none other than the common sparrow.
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