The three red vented Bulbuls perched in three different sites around our courtyard, adjoining to each other, were in an intense mood, looking focussed, but different from their usual body posture!
A squirrel was passing by, below the branches of the trees, where they were perched. I am not familiar with the Bulbul's equation with squirrels.
The three Bulbuls stayed with no movement till the squirrel moved away.
I pondered over the Bulbul's behaviour. Did they sense a threat? Or did they watch the squirrel in curiosity?
I could not leave that question till I explored it further form the Bird books I have. The red vented Bulbuls are quieter birds and less sociable than the red whiskered Bulbuls in the photo below.
However both these families of Bulbuls are comfortable to come near human habitation and even nest in the garden during their mating season.
I noticed that if a Barbet is in the feeding bowl, both families of Bulbuls stay away and do not co-feed.
The birds develop the habits and practices. They do so on impressions and not always based on facts or realities.
I noticed how the language of electioneering in the USA suddenly changed after the attempted shooting incident, threatening the life of a former President Mr Donald Trump, during an election rally. The Republicans and the Democrats since two days speak a language of accommodation unlike the earlier months when they were aggressive and confrontational. One can make an election a friendly contest of democratic exercise or an antagonising experience to see others as enemies to fight and conquer. I watched such an ugly state during the election campaign in India recently. Even after the election, the language the Prime Minister of India used to refer to the leader of the opposition in the Parliament was derogatory to say the least.
We create habits and practices in our society. I wish we see each other as humans in a family of humanity and not through the optic of our religion, faith, political ideology, social class or economic status!
Why do the Bulbuls fear a squirrel! The fear of being attacked! The fear of suspicion! The fear of chased away from accessing food!
I remember a symbolic gesture of the former Pope of the Catholic Church John Paul. When he alighted from the air craft on reaching a new country or a place he would kneel and bow facing the ground as a mark of gratefulness for the welcome received! A reporter who interviewed him spoke about the habit of Pope respecting the people whom he was about to visit, address and minister! For him people lived close to his heart.
For many in leadership, ideologies, faith traditions, historical memories or gainful considerations dominate their thoughts, while people stay away from their proximity of thought.
I wish that we derobe ourselves from this attire of selfish pursuit and feel the call for a collective pursuit.
We are at the threshold of the celebration of yet another Olympics in Paris shortly. It is an occasion of confluence of humanity. What is in the air is enormous security measures planned, because of fear of terror attacks!
The post COVID season is a turbulent season after two to three years of enormous stress, loss and grief! There are psychologists and psychiatrists who regularly remind the leadership of nations that the psycho-social behaviour has changed! People live in fear! What might be another danger ahead is a lingering question in their mind! The worst is a the threat of attired world war!
It is the police that protect two factions of Christian believers from clashing on account differing practices of faith traditions, in the place where I live!
The Bulbul-squirrel proximity in our garden aroused within me these thoughts!
I still struggle with a few strained relationships and feel inhibited to move forward due to stressful memories! The fear of a dialogue or the fear of fresh eruptions of mistrust cause this inhibition. I wish I too can move on by embracing those few, just as they are and offer them the regard and acknowledgement! That is a journey from the optic of the past to a new ambience of receiving others as co-pilgrims in the journey of life!
I felt good as I could end the time in the garden with this sight of a Barbet and a Bulbul, being comfortable with each other around the food bowl!
The journey towards togetherness and shared experiences in daily living is what is before me!
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
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