In the evening golden hour, I have come across different species of birds in the lawn of MOSC Medical College in the recent weeks. The first one (first three pictures) and the other (last t picture) were leisurely frolicking in the lawn, when I stopped by while driving out of the campus.
They are residents or migratory in character.
I decided to take a walk on the lawn to see if I could spot their eggs as they lay eggs on wasteland or dry grounds. They are obliterative in the natural environment and one needs to look carefully and repeatedly.
While I was intensely involved in this, the watchmen came wondering about my reason to spend so much time on the lawn. He found my effort little crazy. His question was, 'Why I was spending some much time looking at birds'! My response was silence fro a while as I could not expect him to reason with me. When I broke my silence and said, that 'Birds invite me to watch them', he immediately retorted, ' Is it because I want to take photos'! I knew tha he as partially right.
It was while living in the Christian Medical College Bhagayam Campus, Vellore form 1997, I got interested in bird watching. During the morning or evening walk in the campus, it was common to come across different birds in the walkaway friendly enough to observe them. Their colour, complexion, movements, chirps, alertness and playful flights between trees in pairs captured my attention.
Anna and I set up a bird bath and feeding spot in the garden of our cottage. They attracted birds. Birds such as Magpie Robins and Tree Pies took residence in our garden.
It was this fascinating sight that prompted me to get my first Single Lens Camera, a Canon with a 400 mm zoom. I had it with me till five ago, when I shifted to Panasonic digital system.
As this memory of my journey into bird photography rushed into my mind in response to the watchman's question, I realised that it has grown in to one my favourite hobbies. I still have reasonable knowledge about bird species, habitat, and nesting patterns. But I feel fascinated by the bird behaviour. The pictures below show how fascinating it has been so far!
I have had enquiries form some who visit this blog if I have a large collection of bird photos! I have confined myself to bird watching and photography to birds visiting our garden at home, MOSC campus, CMC Vellore, Bangalore Baptist Hospital campus or during our road trips. I have yet to go out birding, although some friends encourage me to do.
I have suspicion that my interest in the recent months has been to write. It is when I write I get deeper into myself and what is around me. I am surprised that I have written on sixty or topics in the last one year. Only a few are published. I have written to draw out my thoughts and feel connected with the larger truths that reside within me.
I confess, inspiration to write comes from observations, conversations, reading, listening and happenings in nature.
One grows as one reflects. It is one way of disengaging from disappointments, prejudices, or expectations.
To live without the trappings attached to one's position, age or history of life is itself a vocation as one gets older. The older people gets displaced naturally by younger people who appear to be competent and confident. Before one is set aside, it is important for older people to find occupations in domains which are not so congested or competitive.
I find that many senior citizens are volunteers in different roles in few countries where I have friends. A senior surgeon retired at eighty years at Christmas 2020 and is now a volunteer in a hospice to look after the medical needs of the residents. Fortunately the retirement benefits provide financial stability for them. For some of us, who earned little for almost the whole period of professional years and have no retirement benefits, the compulsion to have an income is a restraining factor in making a choice about retirement and turn to be a volunteer. If a senior citizen works in an environment where one does not receive simple courtesies, it is harder to feel useful or wanted. The younger people have many things in common. It is natural for them to create the work ambience around their choices and ways. It is on such occasions, when a senior citizens might feel redundant although has skills to contribute. I protect myself falling from wellness to self pity. To bless young people and move out of their way is what is altruistic for oneself and for others.
I come back to birds, with which I started. Each of the three birds in the last three phots remind me of how they find the 'daily bread'! This has been a powerful message to my soul. It is a reality that I have had to resolve within myself, when something within me invite me to be a volunteer in an area of need.
Each day is a new day and it brings clarity to the haziness that exists!
M.C.Mathew (text and photo)
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