Chennai is still recovering from the floods. Our birds though are back in town. I have spotted plenty of Asian Koels in my neighbourhood. I have seen a lot more woodpeckers too, chipping away on branches in the morning. A few Rufous Treepies have come over, outside my balcony, to say hello. Today, a Shikra caught me off-guard on the way to work.
I am not angry, like I was when my city was drowning. I feel a little silenced; even unsentimental about the loss, the hope, and the hate that came after. Either I am only empathetic to the languishing of humanity when it directly affects me or I am just very fond of birds. To paraphrase Nick Hornby’s musing on pop music – do I spend time with birds because I don’t want to be with people? Or do I spend time away from people because I want to be with birds?
What came first – the love or the misery to go looking for it in the first place?
I know what I want to believe. I just can’t be sure if I am being honest to myself. The only thing I know is that I had breakfast with a pair of Golden Orioles last weekend. And they made me realize that I had better things to think about.
For instance, if the two orioles, I spotted near Kelambakam, were related to each other. Whether the two Common Mynahs, who stopped by, were still in awe of their bright yellow companions despite being colour blind. And why were the birds spreading their wings in such theatrical fashion? Were they dancing? Or sunbathing to dry their wings off the early morning moisture?
I think they were dancing.
The air, in my city, is still too thick with fear and sadness, for me to find winter’s love in people. Two weeks after uniting, in spirit and action, to help each other survive a natural disaster, we are back to business. We are breaking bad again. Littering the streets. Being concerned about real estate value instead of preparing for nature’s next installment of fury.
Social media is turning into a giant mutual admiration cocktail party. Armchair activists are building their own personal brands under the pretext of flood relief-related altruism. Yuck. All most of us did was behave like decent human beings during a time of helplessness. What do we want for it? Cookies?
We also choose to remain deluded over the damage we do. Being aware beyond a point seems to stall our twisted notion of progress, as defined by our corrupt government, respective families and expensive television sets. I only wish that we were more attentive of indisputable realities so that we can recuperate better next time, or at least slip quietly into the night, with some dignity.
Until then, I rather believe that I live in a world where Golden Orioles dance for me as I chomp on a spinach sandwich on a Saturday morning. Not one in which I spend every ounce of the time and energy I have dealing with people, irrespective of how good or bad they make me feel.
From an earlier post – Yellow is the new black
An oriole
empties her skirt
pockets, and weeps,
she fears that
we may paint her
fully yellow once
she falls asleep.
(Photographs: Kelambakam)
Happy to see these lovely golden Orioles pictured to perfection. Is n’t nature the best architect?
Chennai is getting back on its feet and the birds sound that trumpet to me.
Best
Katie
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Thanks Katie, I have been missing this one for awhile along with the equally gorgeous Hoopoes.
Nature is an architect, a painter and a chimney sweeper, bearer of the fruitiest truths that our hearts can digest!
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well said.
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Happy to see this post. I hope you are safe and fine there.
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Thank you Kritika, all safe and fine now, but that’s because of the neighbourhood I live in. Still a lot of places are reeling from the damage.
Welcome back to after quite a while!
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Yes, I’m following the news. I pray that the city will be good soon as it was before. Thank you. Take care.
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Your lines of verse about the golden oriole is simple exquisite.
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I meant ‘simply exquisite’. Autocorrect will kill me one day !
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Thank you so much, this one digs out words in me that I didn’t know even existed!
And yes, my friend, auto-correct will be the wreck of us (smile).
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It is amazing to see such beautiful birds in a metro city and even more amazing how you can recognise and name every bird you spot.
The golden Orioles are beautiful. Enough to lift dampening spirits.
What happened to Chennai was nature’s fury which I am not sure if it could have been prevented. I have so many family members in Chennai and glad to hear they are all drying themself to normalcy.
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Thank you, chef! Chennai has historically been home to an impressive array of birds, urbanisation has kept most of them in the outskirts.
Also I rely on a field guide – after a while familiarity breeds easy identification. You should see the professional birders in action, they identify birds by their calls and flight patterns!
Thanks for the kind words again comrade.
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They are such lovelies. ..glittering away…wonderful shots..😍👍
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Glittering away like happy mercury! Thanks neethu.
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Doesn’t it feel good to be birding again? I don’t think it’s either one (birding to avoid people, or avoiding people by birding). The people we meet ‘on the trail’ seem to GET IT. For all of us outdoors-y nature-types, it’s a desire to BE with people who more entrenched outwardly-promoting ideals. Birding is the rewarding baseline that results in ultimate happiness, no matter what the news or weather, and viewing birds in their own environment is somehow very calming for the mind.
I’m glad to read that repairs are underway for your neighbors, feathered or no. Happy Birding, Christy!
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I t feels great Shannon!
This weekend saw two wonderful bird-friendly mornings…can’t wait to tell you all about it!
Perhaps it could also be that I never get to meet birders in the places I visit. I used to vainly think it is good karma by design. The more I meet the more I may get it!
Thanks for the love, Shannon ❤
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