Martin Swallows Red-naped Ibis

A Red-naped Ibis in the company of a Lapwing stares at the lens

I am sure the title must have piqued the reader's curiosity, however, before I go ahead with a description of another of my visits to the fast disappearing wetland in Gurgaon, I would like to state that this is not a about the importance of using punctuation marks, it is just a description of the bird species spotted at the Basai wetland. I visited the wetland on the 30th of August and was glad to spot Martins, Wire-tailed Swallows and the Red-naped Ibis. What drew my attention was the playful behavior of  the Martins. While all of them had their beaks wide open, the others kept flying on to perches on narrow stems of tree branches.

A solitary Martin perches precariously on a thin stem

Apart from the large number of Martins, I was also able to spot a few Wire-tailed Swallows. These, rather colorful birds have a pair of long wire like spikes sticking out of their tails. I was able to get a few shots at them before they flew away. Wire-tailed Swallows are some of the most colorful birds that have always fascinated me. Their metallic blue plumage literally shimmers in the sunlight.

A Wire-tailed Swallow poses for the camera at the Basai Wetland

The larger birds, apart from the Ibis are yet to arrive at the wetland. Fortunately, the recent rains have filled up all the low lying areas with abundant water, a suitable environment for most of the migratory birds that arrive at the wetland during the winter months. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to visit the Sultanpur National Park because of the Covid-19 pandemic for almost two years now and hope that the lack of noisy visitors will have  attracted a larger number of visitors to the place.

A Wire-tailed Swallow calls out to its mate perched close to it.

It is indeed a matter of amazement to see how wildlife continues to thrive in spite of all the developmental activities we undertake, and one of the best examples is the Basai Wetland. A flyover is nearing completion that dissects the wetland into two halves. Soon, traffic movement on the flyover will create a disturbance for all the birds arriving at the wetland. In addition to this, traffic on the adjacent  Dwarka Express Way will also affect the arrival of migratory birds like Bar-headed Geese.

A Martin looks at the lens with curiosity even as another one takes off

The Basai Wetland in Gurgaon continues to host a large number of species of birds, migratory and native throughout the year. While the winter months see a large number of birds including ducks, bar-headed Geese, and even Flamingos arriving at the wetland, the warmer months see native species of birds flocking in. The native species including Baya Weaver birds, Starlings, Pied- Kingfishers, White-throated Kingfishers and sometimes even Sarus Cranes can often be spotted in the absence of the ducks, cranes and storks.

A Red-naped Ibis spotted at the Basai Wetland, Gurugram

We Are Not Machines - A Poem

 

We are not machines, we love to 
Watch the sun set in the sky,
Blazing in all his glory,
Before the day ends.

We love to pause a while, to
Sip on a cuppa tea and just
Watch the world rush by in
All its madness!

We are not machines, we love to

Watch  pets doze, slack-mouthed,

Not caring about future plans,

Timelines and targets.

We love to pause a while to

Dream of flying in the sky,

Watching the world grow grow

Smaller and smaller!

We are not machines, we want to

Live our lives, to dream and aspire,

We like to  pause and wait even as

The mad world rushes by.

We love to gossip and chat, to

Joke with friends and foe in the

Corridors, even as others rush by

So what if we're a minute late?

We are not machines, we're vulnerable to

Stress and breakdown, we need our

Moments of rest to laze and doze,

While the world rushes by!

We love to watch flowers, to

See them sway in the morning breeze,

An epiphany of spirituality and joy,

So what if we get late to work.

We are not machines, we love to

Take breaks and pauses, we like shifting

Gears, we love change and thrills,

So let the world snare itself!

 

Simulacrum-A Poem

First, we laughed at those in masks,

Only to wear them ourselves! A cough sent us running for cover,

Fearing droplets of plague. And then it struck - young and old, healthy

And weak alike!

 

We squabbled for Oxygen to breathe,

Figured out saturation levels and learned of what the virus could

Do, that a deadly blow had dealt. A great leveler it was, that brought down the rich

And poor.

Many left before time, still in their prime, hearty

Souls full of life, crashing to the ground without a whimper. Grim 

Tales of sadness and grief not seen in a world so advanced! A world alas, ruled by

Arrogance.

 

After a  year we thought we were done. Alas! With

Vengeance it returned, rearing an ugly head, Reaper with his scythe,

Gathering a rich harvest! First those we knew less, and then those we cherished and loved

Drawing tears.

 

Joyful reunions turn into grief, smiles into grimaces. We

Grapple with emotions of shock and despair, remember those we 

Celebrated happy moments with. Lives end up in a mad search for Oxygen and

Vaccinations.

 

Our homes are adorned with cylinders and gadgets, 

Prizes of a year gone by. Those who survive wake up to a world,

Bleak, bereft of loved ones, grim reminder of our frailty! Now only memories remain of

The world that was.

 

It has been more than a year of staring at flickering screens

Virtual worlds, simulations of places and faces trying to figure out 

Reality. We have lost our touch, and voices that pour of speakers sound tinny and disjointed-

Buffering!

 

We live in a fantasy world of pixels and bytes, knowing not

Differences between simulation and reality! The reel has become real

And the real has become a reel even as we try to grapple with the reality of our lives,

Simulacrums.

 

Arrogance and ignorance, greatest faults, we paid a

Price for. If only we had prepared for it better, these cries of pain and

moments of mourning would not have drowned the cheerful sounds of celebrations and

Reunions!