Is a Beagle dog so observant that she would indicate the presence of birds nearby! I noticed her similar growls earlier, when bird movements took place around her kennel. This time it was evident that she associated the birds with the camera! Is it my wild imagination! I know Beagle dogs are sniffer dogs, used in the air port to detect scent from checked in bags in the conveyer belt, when there is a suspicion of illicit drug movement. They are also used for hunting to chase the prey. This discovery of associating me with the camera and birds, was a discovery that surprised me.
I watched this pair of Great coucal birds for a while. The grooming process was meticulous. Theirs was a different process than what small birds follow. The small birds dry their body by shaking. The coucal birds spread their wings to have them dried in the morning sun.
I feel amazed that a Beagle dog can convey messages, from the observations she would have made earlier. Almost every morning, I am out with the camera and stay outside her kennel for about 45 minutes, watching the flight movements of the birds in the garden. The two trees, adjacent to her kennel are permanent flight stations for Bulbul, Leaf bird, Tailor bird, Maggie robin, Sunbirds, etc.
I got distracted at that time by the arrival of a Kingfisher in the adjacent coconut tree. It was still dark to capture its beautiful plumage. It slowed and long bird calls got responded form the other side of the stream. Hearing the reciprocal calls it flew away in that direction. Even that was an engine experience. Most bird look out for other birds of the same species in the morning.
Three cheers to Daphne! She has been with us for thirteen years and crossed the average life span of the Beagle species.
We feel pleased to have her with us!
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
It's truly fascinating how observant animals can be, as demonstrated by Daphne in your story. It's amazing how she associated the birds with your camera, which adds a unique layer to her personality. If you're interested in learning more about how to propagate Daphne, you can find some valuable insights here. This connection between nature and our pets always has something new to teach us.
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