Birds and Trees in Dampa

Standing trees, frolicking birds

Walking at a pace dictated by the Mizo slopes allowed me to be ‘there’ and enjoy the silences and spaces that hills allow. I end up doing 'much' when I am doing 'nothing’. Some musings on bird sightings and some images of trees from Dampa with a sense of awe and bewilderment at their beauty and the impact they have on us. A deep gratitude for being able to co-exist with them – albeit for a while - their presence mystic and majestic at the same time.

Trunks one wants to touch, feel . . Trunks that seem to have emotions . . 

Common Green Magpie I saw on multiple occasions in and around the Teirei campus, flying low. On none of these occasions did it fly higher than fifteen feet. Over the telephone later that evening a friend mentioned it could be as it is a ‘heavy’ bird. Its demeanour is far more striking than the sketch in field-guide. Must be a difficult task, bringing out the beauty of these winged wonders on paper for, despite is name, given the colours and patterns it carries there is very little ‘Common’ about it!

Juvenile of the Black-hooded Oriole had me confused on what species it was! The ‘tilak’ (yellow forehead) mark just above the beak and a yellowish supercilium in the happy yellow coloured bird. This I saw sitting on a tree that stood on the path along the river. It shared the tree with bulbuls. Around it were two younger and weaker trees which now lay as they could possibly not withstand the storm of the previous night. How did the oriole react to the storm? Was it up in the very tree when it poured and hailed?

Fresh flowers high up . . Yellow beauties awaiting birds . . 

The Black-crested Bulbul (with its shining eyes) sat on a tree standing beside the road. As I saw one with binoculars, looking at the splendour of its eyes, two more joined in, one after another. This got repeated on another tree, ten minutes slow walk up the road. In some way this reminded me of getting together with friends, at select multiple locations and chatting animatedly over what had then seemed serious matters. The yellow of its black and mantle merged so very beautifully into the brown of its rump and tail; akin to the classy melting of green Mizo hills into the blue sky. Black Bulbuls were common during this trip after being difficult to spot during previous trips! Case of my limited skills or that interesting phenomenon – local migration! Most times we saw them in two’s and once heard - as if a loud wail. 

Proximity of the Greater Racket-tailed Drongo to the building in the Teirei campus, on the kitchen side, and as a corollary its easy sighting has it generate far less respect and awe then usually associated with it. As I first saw it, for a short while, it nibbled flowers washed by rains of the day before. It went up and down the branches, seldom going beyond twenty-five feet. As it turned, I saw the much lighter colour on the belly; an aspect the field-guide I use doesn’t depict. Over the next day I saw it more than once flying along the length of the building to another tree and not taking long to return. Do the crows pester it by nibbling its tail? I have seen them peck at kites and ever vultures. One of my more amazing moments with the species was to see it noisily chase a Common Kestrel!

A gentle giant as if lay on the path . . Encouraging and supporting new life forms  . . 

Sultan Tit. On a large tree it moved happily along a branch that crossed the road, about twenty feet above our heads. One clear look at the bird and one knows why it is bestowed with the title of Sultan

Blue-bearded Bee-eater I had come across earlier in captivity at Kaisih (Saiha). A colleague whom I had shared the image with, over email, had mentioned of it being ‘the largest of bee-eaters’. The first clear sighting in the wild it some-how appeared mean, menacing and reminded me of Shylock of the Merchant of Venice fame. This was along a beautiful patch that climbs up to a watch-tower and leaved trees give way to bamboo before one reaches the top. The second sighting was amidst jhum fields of West Phaileng. In the evening light of the hills which augments beauty of colours I found the shade of its green back to be one of the most exquisite I have come across! The blue beard appeared a vertically placed patch which stood out as I put my binoculars to use.

Trunk base that reminded me of elephant foot . . Trunk lazing bent towards the valley. . 

On our way to the anti-poaching camp near Phuldungsui we saw the Common Hoopoe fly to a tree in the valley about hundred feet from the road. It was possibly looking for insects amidst the leaf litter when it noticed us and took-off. It sat there on the tree and allowed each of us to take a long, satisfactory look. This, being stationary on an open branch, is uncommon. On our return it was at the same spot, amidst the litter. We saw it from a distance and it allowed us to walk till it was ten odd feet away before it flew. Is it new to the landscape remarked one of the participants! I have suspected ‘migrants’ of being less scared than ‘residents’ in these landscape but this is very much a resident.

At the Damparengpui campus as we got together for another session (of interactions on conservation) we also fiddled with our binoculars. One of us saw an owlet, sitting quietly on one of the large and open-arm type branches. We saw it and also showed it to those who came later. Despite the minor commotion, group caused, the owlet chose to stay. The diurnal Asian Barred Owlet made not a sound; it only partly rotated its neck on multiple occasions. As I stretched my neck to get a clear look, from amidst the leaves, I saw it scratching its ears. There was something very cute and funny about it then.  

Jhum field dynamics at work . . Too complicated for city bred folks . . 

One of the more endearing images is from the final day. I stood on a non-tarred winding road, jhum fields to my immediate left and trees beyond. Binoculars helped me reach those trees far. Greater Yellownape Woodpeckers happily flying from one tree to another. Four of them cheered me up with their happy and joyous flights; flights that made them stand out from other birds I had come across those days. One of these trees had red flowers; red which was young and alive. They got on to multiple angles with respect to branches that supported them - to enjoy those flowers. Green background of the leaves, red flowers and the yellow of the woodpeckers’ crown – how the colours played! How glad one is to be there then and how one finds oneself unequipped to share the beauty of the moment in words! Difficult not to fall in love with the woodpeckers here: Black-rumped Flameback, Great Slaty Woodpecker, Greater Goldenback, Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker and Lesser Yellownape sighted thus far besides the Greater Yellownape.

Support of the Forest Department and Oriental Bird Conservation is duly acknowledged. 

How long will it stand tall?