Sunday mornings with birds and children

Bird by Bird

(With respects to Anne Lamott)

Published in the April 2018 issue of Palash. 

Thanks are due to the Editorial Team of Palash.

We are also indebted to Binoculars for Charity for the support with equipment.

The location of the Rajghat campus and the vegetation it boasts of made the decision to take up bird watching very easy. The crux lay in moving around and enjoying with the birds; there was little to plan. We began with 1 pair of binoculars and 6 species on the first day.

Design was to discuss birds, talk about their colours, size, actions and else, and not bestow inordinate attention on names and lists. 7 sisters or noisy birds after a while became babblers and some weeks later we were in a position to determine whether they were the Large Grey Babblers or the Jungle Babblers; 2 babbler species occur on campus. Time put in with the bird book (or the field guide) to figure out what they saw also allowed the group to get familiar with species not occurring on the campus. For some birds we sought help of friends and for some we asked Lord Google. We also had our ‘wow’ moments like the Indian Grey Hornbills near the main gate early one morning or the afternoon when we kept looking with awe as the gulls increased in numbers – from roughly 100 to 300. We discussed how they resemble paper boats floating on water from a distance!

One of our colleagues stated out how this was experiential education and added that we were also using multiple senses. As we wondered we realized we ended up talking about Geography – the landscapes our country has – Eastern Ghats and Western Ghats, our neighbouring states and more. English – the bulbuls, for example, had us discuss terms like ‘ventral’ and ‘dorsal’. The chapter ‘Conservation of Plants and Animals’ in class 8, Science, talked of Protected Areas and migration – topics we touched upon in course of our conversations. And of course ecology! Another of our colleagues turned out to be familiar with trees – not only did he identify species but he also shared of what he loved in each of them and where across our 350 acre campus the species occurred!

Our younger friends have been as much fun as the birds themselves during these walks. Their questions enthral: ‘Why is it called the Black Kite when it is brown in colour?’, ‘Are these birds kissing?’, ‘Why are its eyes like gel?’ Some of their actions have allowed us a hearty laugh. Once, on not getting the binoculars when he wanted, one of them got angry and began shooing the birds away telling them not to be seen by his friend (who had the binoculars)! And of course the comments: ‘Smart you are, holding on (as opposed to sharing) the names of the birds?’

There have been questions which have us intrigued. Why did the White Wagtails disappear so soon? Why are the Brahminy Mynas seen only intermittently unlike other myna species? Why do the boatmen allow kingfishers to ride their boats? A pretty sight these small boats are with the boatman at one end and the kingfisher at the other. We had no clear answers and like with life it is these grey areas that continue to hold one’s interest.

Birding at campus has been fun. Today the number of binoculars has increased 5 times while that of species 10 times. Bird watching has had up put in time together, walk slowly in the open and appreciate aspects of campus (and nature) including the stunning morning light which we would perhaps not have take the time out for. It has also presented us with moments that will stay with us for long.