I noticed a large bird yesterday, while it was drizzling, hovering over an inundated paddy field and settling in between in a shrub, about 400 meters below our campus. I do not remember seeing such a bird in our vicinity.
I was surprised by a 'distinguished looking raptor, bright rusty red above and white head, neck, breast down to the abdomen'. It had a round tail, not wedged and therefore distinguishable form a regular kite or a vulture.
They are normally habitants of seacoast, riverside or marshy fields as they are scavengers and feed on frog, fish, winged termites emerging from rain soaked soil, etc.
They are noticeable in different parts of India, Andamans, Bangladesh, SriLanka and Myanmar. I wondered whether this bird was displaced from seashore, which is only 35 kilometre from here, following the high tide persisting for four days due to the depression!
It was a rare sighting in our area. I regret that I was not able to get sharper pictures in the drizzle.
My interest in birds have increased recently, as their behaviour of co-existence surprises and challenges me and is something to learn from!
A Barbet on one side of the tree and a Drongo on the other side!
As I reflect on the conflict between Israel and Palestinians, which has become to an alarming level of conflict in the last week, I wonder whether we have lost our humanity of tolerance!
I find that some birds come to me as my teachers!
They are vulnerable to the fury of nature with rain and wind, summer and winter and drought and flooding! And yet they stay practicing their normal temperament. A crow might chase away a wood pecker or a squirrel or a Magpie Robin. Often it is akin to a game!
When posters appeared in the streets of New Delhi, criticising the Prime minister for his faulty approach to vaccination against COVID, 24 people have been arrested so far! We have come to an intolerable mood towards others who differ from us!
I like the way, the late retired Metropolitan of the Marthoma Church, Bishop Chrysostam approached differences or disagreements. He moved out of his legitimate right to be the Metropolitan till his life time, in order to allow the next senior bishop to become the Metropolitan. When asked about his decision to do so, he seems to have said, 'It is not from a position one serves, but stepping down from the position. Did not Jesus of Nazareth leave his heavenly place to become a servant!'
Our humanity is inherited from God. His nature made known to us is 'loving our neighbour as ourselves'!
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
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