My backyard is a lively little place. It’s a car park of my apartment building really, but that’s hardly romantic. And it’s not just the car park, beyond it, stretches a vast hill which extends till the eye can see and through which passes an ancient path (Icknield Way)that is dated before records began! I can see this path from my window and it’s quite regularly used.
Now back to my backyard, where besides of course, people driving in and out, and a Porsche which adorns it (the owner even wears Porsche driving gear!), this charming little place has a life of its own. There are trees that line the boundary of the hill, one at a small distance up the hill that looks like the beanstalk from Jack & the B. Also a red bush/tree that stands in the middle of some garden space that has been provided along with some other smaller shrubs that are bare in this season.
So now that the stage is set, let the story begin ;)
It had been a couple of weeks since we moved in and were still settling down when the first one made it’s appearance. It was bold & pompous and quite a show off really. I haven’t yet identified it’s species correctly but i think it’s a magpie. White and black with a dazzling black tail. It’s pretty and it knows it! It strutted itself about the fencing that defines the end of the compound and even posed for a few pics. And then, as if it declare it’s status, flew up to the highest branch of the tree and sat there! Later, I think it saw me admiring it’s beauty so it came up to the little garden below my window to give me a good look (pun intended).
Well after that the pigeons made their presence felt and then the blackbird which is striking with it’s yellow beak and shiny black coat. I think the sharp contrast with the snow really helps. Same with the magpie who only looks more majestic. Then the ravens came & then the sparrows too.
But the cutest one took time to reveal itself. I think she was observing me first, having the advantage of size, before she cared to introduce herself. It was on a snowy cold day when I was gazing out just after breakfast that I heard a sweet chirping. I looked about a bit but couldn’t make out where it came from. I got busy doing something and then when I was absent-mindedly gazing out I saw a shimmer of red! There, perched on a stripped shrub right in front of me was the most darling little robin! She was plump and small with a neat red breast and dirty brown coat, bobbing her head and chirping away. I was floored. She sat there hesitantly, keeping a keen eye on me and any movement from me made her fly off to the tree opposite. This continued for a while as I ran to get my camera and capture the little sweetheart. I even threw her some crumbs in the hope that she’d stay longer. But she kept flying off. Eventually I gave up and got down to my work when she came back. And I guess after eating some of the bread, sat a while longer giving me the chance to click her as a thank you ;)
I had found a new friend. I threw more crumbs and that brought not just her but others too. I noticed that my humble pigeons were a couple and were collared too! Not the shabby ones I’m used to seeing in India. And the magpie brought its friends too.
So now my Robin comes by every morning to greet me…chirping happily and fast! Sometimes cribbing angrily about some other bird, you can tell by her birdie body lingo and sometimes chirping a happy tune!
I have decided to get a bird feeder for her soon. I also noticed another reallllllllllyyyyyyyyyy tiny bird this morning. But it was too small and quick for me to get a good look. Hope to catch an eyeful soon.
1 comments:
Post a Comment