The avian social order!

One routine that the Bulbuls follow at the feeding table is to make a few bird calls before they start feeding themselves. The way they feed attentive of the environment is worth watching!

What followed was another pair of Bulbuls arriving to be perched in the cable close by, waiting for their turn to go to the feeding table. 

This pair above also gets an opportunity to feed after the other pair left!

This is a common pattern in the feeding station. 

There is a fraternal spirit in their behaviour!

The birds return to the feeding station a few times during the day. They find enough for themselves and behave mindfully towards others. 

This fraternal behaviour turns into social feeding, where birds of different species feel comfortable with each other ! There is more of accommodative behaviour than reactive behaviour between the birds of different species!

I watched yesterday photos of children from Gaza waiting with their bowls, at the feeding station! The Israeli and Hamas conflict blocked arrival of aid, although about 2200 trucks are waiting to cross over! Yesterday, with food dropped from the air craft, the photo showed people running to gather their portion!

There is plenty of food for everyone. But what is missing is a 'heart that feels for the hunger of others' as described by a  video reporter!

I wish we see a 'neighbour friendly' attitude between people and actions! 

I find it a delight to receive such a message from our feathered friends!

M.C.Mathew (photo and text)

 

The tree pie was back!

It was dusk and the visibility had dropped yesterday. From the study, I heard the bird call of a tree pie from the bush in our courtyard. What I watched was a friendly look of a tree pie, similar to what I watched in the morning on a coconut palm just beyond the bush. As it kept engaging me, I wondered whether it came looking for me, remembering the morning ritual of photographing it!

Whatever it might be, I felt visited. Those ten minutes were like a conversation in silence! It was an affirmation of friendship !

For me it was a message of considerable encouragement at the end of a day, when aloneness in this journey of life gripped me in an unusual way. I spent years from my college days, visiting, writing, enabling, etc. I had an occasional feeling of entitlement to be acknowledged and appreciated! That feeling returned to me yesterday for a while. Later in the day, it occurred to me that giving and forgiving is the calling to live with and not attaching strings to that vocation. 

That is when I heard the bird call from our courtyard. No sooner I arrived, the tree pie stopped its call and kept gazing at me with its body in stillness. Its engaging look brought cheer and calm within. To fall into self pity is a sure sign of loosing balance of perspectives. The tree pie with its captivating look in silence calmed me and called my soul to rest. 

I felt like receiving a provision that I needed at the end of labouring with my negative feelings! The fear of being forgotten can be a trap that any one call fall into. I was almost there yesterday ! 

God sent Elijah with bread when he was beside a drying brook; I was sent yesterday a bird with its bird call and calming look !

M.C.Mathew (text and photo)

A morning Visitor!

 

A grey Imperial Pigeon happened to make a stop over during its flight movement in our garden this morning. It gave us a 360 degree view of its abundantly beautiful complexion and graceful body movement. There was something serene and eye catching about this rather uncommon sighting. Its look, bright eyes, elegant posture and body contour captured us to adore it. Some birds are exquisite in their appearance an behaviour. 

It was probably a pigeon that Noah trusted to test whether the blood had receded after he and his  family along with wild life were floating in an ark during an unprecedented flood according to the Old Testament Biblical narrative of the flood. The first pigeon sent out returned finding trees still under water. The second one after few days did not return. That was when Noah decided to embark on returning to the land. 

For this reason and several other reasons, pigeons represent larger symbolic meanings. In the New Testament narration, there is a description of a dove descending in the scene at the time when Jesus of Nazareth was baptised. The dove is a symbol of peace. On every occasion, when peace has to be articulated and announced, a pigeon would be a visible symbol. 

I remember an incident described by a friend, when a guest at a meeting was handed over a pigeon to release at the occasion of a peace rally. When he released it, it did not fly away, but dropped to the ground. He seems to have strangulated the pigeon between the time he was handed over the pigeon and released it from his hold between his palms. 

I have had many memories returning to me, while visited by this pigeon for a few minutes.   Anna and I used to take our children Trafalgar Square in London for watching hundreds of pigeon of all colours, in the open ground, fed by hundreds of visitors. We would have visited that place to watch that magnificent sight several times during our stay in London in 1986.

A pigeon is a symbol of peace!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

The spectators at a bird bath!

I watched the other day, how a Bulbul and Barbet remained engaged while the Magpie Robin was having its bath in the pool of water in our courtyard!

I waited to see if they too would join in splashing the water! That did not happen!

I have noticed Magpie Robins on other times too, playing in water pools. They feel drawn towards water! It seems to be their instinct!

Birds are instinct driven. Humans are also similar. A visitor who came yesterday told us about the screen time instinct that is occupying the attention of school going children!

An instinct is not at the cognitive level, but at the sensual level! So most instincts can be overcome by a cognitive behaviour change!

That is why the Alcoholics Anonymous has had profound impact on people who are willing to be freed from their habitual drinking!

An instinct can become a desire and an addiction...a thief who was questioned by a police officer confessed that he is overcome by his instinct to steal! But he was helped by the police to get rehabilitated and is currently running a wayside tea shop near the police station. He has a grateful response to the police who instead of incarcerating him rescued him from his instinct!

One instinct I feel humans can overcome is gossip! We as humans design gossip stories against people in order to malign them. Instead saying good things about others is less common! 

I have a friend who sends messages to encourage and enquire! That is one way of bringing cheer to others! There are people whom we like and whom we do not like! People who fall in both categories are our neighbours, whom we are called to 'love as ourselves'. 

I find this journey the greatest of all challenges I have faced! How can I grow out of the habit  of referring to others thoughtlessly!

I felt fascinated by a Bulbul and Barbet delighting in the water play of a Magpie Robin!  

Taking delight in others and their experiences in life is an opportunity to build relationships!

I wondered if this habit is on the decline!

I know for myself that it has not received the attention in the recent years as much as I was used to earlier!

M.C.Mathew (text and photo)