March. Pink bougainvillea in plenty at churches and housing societies. After ensuring sunlight for the day, the sun is in a deep snooze in bunches of bougainvillea, taking a day off. Sun, moon and stars cannot be at work every day, they do have a human rhythm. 'Dont believe your yarns,' said the Lady to her friend, Old Man. 'Have verified the report,' said the Old Man. 'How can sun, moon and stars take a day or night off. You are as usual wrong,' hit back the Lady. Flying fox were snoring upside down from rain trees and that's when they spotted a female Paradise Fly Catcher, glistening in shards of sun on a badam in the housing society. That does not happen everyday in Borivili (W), a Paradise flycatcher, conforming to Dr. Salim Ali description. Female chestnut above, a crest on a black head. 'Where's her partner,' asked Old Man and Lady thought of flying around to spot the male with its long, white tail. Otherwise, it was an ordinary day with crows, squirrels, house sparrows and an occasional extended musical cheep of a magpie robin; Old Man has found them atop water tanks or bare trees. 'More should be coming,' hoped Lady walking to the Primary School, on a holiday, for SSC examinations; her friends were all at home playing or in bed for at least a week, the time it takes SSC examinations to end. But this sun and moon taking a break rumbled in the heads of Old Man and Lady. 'Right I will tell you my source. The flying around female Paradise flycatcher. Its not some eclipse. Its a day off,' detailed Old Man. Lady could not trust as everything else was fine; school buses, cars, bikes, chanting walkers, silent walkers, runners, mobilers were all there as usual. They were all in the ritual Mumbai rush to schools and offices, to be on time reporting to bosses. 'All right, I go with you. But the sun and moon cannot be sleeping the whole day and night. What will they do when they wake up,' inquired Lady. That thumped Old Man as the female Paradise flycatcher had flown away to her mate. Nests had to be built, eggs laid, a new generation put on show. Everything else can wait. 'There's not a tree in LIC Colony having nests; the exception being the dirty stick homes of crows. He is no architect, has no taste; more like the monotonous cement poles of high rises, all the same,' said the Lady. 'You know why sun, moon and stars have taken casual leave? I have an answer,' said Old Man to add: 'There's nothing interesting on the earth. For eons they have played with mud, trees, birds, kids. Now they are not; or in short supply; its like staring into an absent mirror. Humans are boring.' NO, said the Lady softly. For me you are ever interesting, Old Man. And they held hands, palm in palm, walked away.
Monday, March 6, 2017
Female Paradise flycatcher
March. Pink bougainvillea in plenty at churches and housing societies. After ensuring sunlight for the day, the sun is in a deep snooze in bunches of bougainvillea, taking a day off. Sun, moon and stars cannot be at work every day, they do have a human rhythm. 'Dont believe your yarns,' said the Lady to her friend, Old Man. 'Have verified the report,' said the Old Man. 'How can sun, moon and stars take a day or night off. You are as usual wrong,' hit back the Lady. Flying fox were snoring upside down from rain trees and that's when they spotted a female Paradise Fly Catcher, glistening in shards of sun on a badam in the housing society. That does not happen everyday in Borivili (W), a Paradise flycatcher, conforming to Dr. Salim Ali description. Female chestnut above, a crest on a black head. 'Where's her partner,' asked Old Man and Lady thought of flying around to spot the male with its long, white tail. Otherwise, it was an ordinary day with crows, squirrels, house sparrows and an occasional extended musical cheep of a magpie robin; Old Man has found them atop water tanks or bare trees. 'More should be coming,' hoped Lady walking to the Primary School, on a holiday, for SSC examinations; her friends were all at home playing or in bed for at least a week, the time it takes SSC examinations to end. But this sun and moon taking a break rumbled in the heads of Old Man and Lady. 'Right I will tell you my source. The flying around female Paradise flycatcher. Its not some eclipse. Its a day off,' detailed Old Man. Lady could not trust as everything else was fine; school buses, cars, bikes, chanting walkers, silent walkers, runners, mobilers were all there as usual. They were all in the ritual Mumbai rush to schools and offices, to be on time reporting to bosses. 'All right, I go with you. But the sun and moon cannot be sleeping the whole day and night. What will they do when they wake up,' inquired Lady. That thumped Old Man as the female Paradise flycatcher had flown away to her mate. Nests had to be built, eggs laid, a new generation put on show. Everything else can wait. 'There's not a tree in LIC Colony having nests; the exception being the dirty stick homes of crows. He is no architect, has no taste; more like the monotonous cement poles of high rises, all the same,' said the Lady. 'You know why sun, moon and stars have taken casual leave? I have an answer,' said Old Man to add: 'There's nothing interesting on the earth. For eons they have played with mud, trees, birds, kids. Now they are not; or in short supply; its like staring into an absent mirror. Humans are boring.' NO, said the Lady softly. For me you are ever interesting, Old Man. And they held hands, palm in palm, walked away.
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