Today I am missing the chirpy-chirpy sounds of the two birds which have become regular morning visitors to my home. One of these birds was being seen for more than a month, entering into our living room and trying to find a place to rest or probably build a nest. The moment it enters and sits somewhere I would pick up my camera (presented my dear daughter) and try to click. The moment it sees me it would fly away. Only from the past one week or less it is bringing another cuckoo with it. May be, that is its new found companion. This second bird would never enter into the living room. The first would come into the hall fly here and there perch on door curtain rods or the doors. But the new one would simply sit on the grills of the window of the living room. I thought the two are planning to settle down at our home for this season
On Monday as usual those two had come in the morning. The first cuckoo started flying in the living room with lot of twittering. The second was watching it silently. For the first time it had sat on the edge of the open door into the living room. As usual I made a futile attempt to shoot them, at least to click the one in the hall. But both flew away twittering. At about 10am as I was going down stairs I noticed one bird on the edge of open door of a room, which opens into a big hall that is on the eastern side of our residential portion. This door is kept open only to have vision of our front yard through the window in that room. Otherwise the room is rarely used. I somehow had a feeling that the bird is feeling at loss. I just moved to see if it was the same one that I see every day morning. Seeing me move towards it the bird immediately flew into the room. It tried to fly away through the glass window that is closed. As it could see the branches of trees through the window it tried to move out through it. But it hit the glass. I heard that sound of it’s hitting the glass. Feeling bad that the bird might have got hurt, I went inside. I could not see the bird. I looked for it on the ventilator of the (north) side wall. I searched for it under the cot and a bench that is there. I could not find it. I was surprised that I could not see it in the room nor did I see it flying out through the door. A strange feeling came to me. If ever the bird had disappeared through the glass closed glass window. But my rationality did not accept it. Looking around the room once again for the little bird and not finding it I closed the door and locked it. In the afternoon I told about this to my husband as he was watching news reporting that an old lady who had committed suicide had become a spirit and troubling the villagers. He suspected my visual acuity. In fact even I had doubt if have to change my present glasses.
In the night I wanted to open the room and see once again. But I decided not to take any risk in the night.
Next day morning, that is yesterday – Tuesday, as soon as I woke up I first went out into the hall where the room opens. I was very happy to see it on the ventilator which is immediately above the door. It has cleared so many of my doubts and fears. I simply forgot about this ventilator and did not check to see it on that. That is how I missed it. Because of this the whole day poor little bird has to stay alone in the room. Feeling sorry for the little being I immediately opened the door and the window so that it can fly way. But the little bird would not go towards the window (the whole day it might have tried to go out through the window and got hurt) but kept on hoping between the two ventilators. My gesture and words asking it go through the window could not be understood by it in its fear and confusion. I came out of the room, kept the door wide open, and opened another window immediately by the side of the room. I came into my home and told everything to my husband who had got up and sat on the bed. He immediately got up took a plate and put some rice in it. I understood what he wanted to do. I added few pulses to rice to look colorful. He also took a cup. Knowing his idea I took I tiny bowl and put some water in it. We took these things to the room kept it on the cot. I took few shots of the bird. Both of us came out. I later had to carry on with my routine. I finished my bath. I sat down for prayer. I prayed for the bird should come out of its shock and get out of the room and find its freedom again. At the end of my prayer I could hear the twitters of more than one bird. I went out and saw in the room. The bird was gone away. I asked my husband whether he had seen the bird going our and how it had gone. He said another bird had come into the room via a door of the hall that he had opened. It went into the room sat a few seconds twittering and both had flown away together. Actually in the morning when I had opened the door of that room I did see the other bird near the window. The moment the door was completely open it flew away and was not seen outside. But I did have the feeling that it is its mate will definitely will come to take it away. I only wanted to see whether it will do it alone or bring in some more company. Because of lack of time I could not observe all these and had to carry on my routine schedule. I really feel sorry for locking the bird overnight in the room, and missing to see the two flying happily twittering.
As they have gone away I wanted to see whether those two birds will visit us today morning. Since morning from the time that I got up I was very eager to hear the chirpy chirp of the two birds. Poor little beings having suffered at our home may never visit us again.
I wish that those two little birds will settle down in a beautiful nest on some huge tree many branches having lush green leaves.
