Bird behaviour !

 

The bush in the first photo seems to give tasty berries for some birds. There is therefore a rush to this bush in the morning. The regular visitors are Magpie Robin, Barbet, and Bulbul. 

A squirrel was hovering around in the bush which prevented these birds from reaching the bush. So the Magpie Robin and Barbet waited for the squirrel to move away. 

In the mean time the Bulbul perched in the custard apple adjacent to the Bush arrived to be stationed under the tree on the bricks. 

The squirrel while gathering its feed dropped one. The Bulbul gulped it and was ready to fly away. 

The Barbet and the Magpie Robin had to wait for some more time before the squirrel left the scene for them to gather the berries. 

The Bulbul had a better strategy. 

To turn every situation into an opportunity is an ability some carry with them. Is it because they are alert or they are naturally instinctual to see beyond what is obvious. 

The Principal's office at the Christian Medical College Vellore is named after Dr John Carman a surgeon at CMC in the forties. During the morning rounds one day, Dr Carman noticed that Dr A S. Fenn  one of the trainees, was was not his usual self. He turned to him to enquire whether he had paid the fees for the forthcoming final examination, as it happened to be the last day for paying it at the Madras University. Dr Fenn had not paid the fees. At the end of the rounds when Dr Carman enquired about it, he found that Dr Fenn did not have enough money left with him to pay the fees. Dr Carman later in the day drove Dr Fenn to Madras University paid the fees for Dr Fenn. Dr Fenn had to get special permission to pay the fees as he arrived late at the University. The travel time to Chennai from Vellore at that time used to be four hours or more as the road had only a single lane for traffic. 

Dr Fenn narrating this story in a meeting, when he later became the Principal of the Christian Medical College, Vellore in the late sixties, remembered Dr Carman and the timely help he  received from Dr Carman to write the examination. Dr Fenn mentioned  that Dr Carman had an unusual ability to turn every situation into an opportunity. He was known to foresee situations ahead of others. 

This led me to enquire more about Dr Carman. Dr P Zachariah, professor of physiology who knew Dr Carman well mentioned that Dr Carman was keenly interested to keep in touch with others. His intuitive spirit arose from his skill of observation. 

It is the combination of some innate skill and the acquired skill of diligence of observation, which would help a person to turn a situation into an opportunity.  

I confess that I am a poor story teller orally and in writing. So this narration of a story of some significance has a watered down flow. 

However, sighting the Bulbul waiting under a bush to pick up a berry, a squirrel would drop during its gymnastic movements in the bush, brought back memories of a significant event in the life of Dr Fenn. It was this care and concern which he received,  which made him stay on in CMC as faculty till he retired, although he had some attractive offers professionally and financially. 

To do something thoughtfully to help a person  in need is a good example for turning a situation into an opportunity!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)