Here are two videos. The first one is of the magpie robin's cry alone. I hadn't seen one around for a while. But there he was after the first few summer showers. Wanted to show what the magpie robin's call is, because in the second video, he's having a hard time making himself heard over the racket-tailed drongo's loud and varied warbles.
In the second video, you can also hear the cawing of a crow and unfortunately the sound of a vehicle horn (very common in India alas).
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Summer showers
It was unusually hot in our part of the world through March and exceptionally dry--no rain through Feb & March. The lack of showers and the heat had most of the birds in hiding during a large part of the day and got the many of the creatures desperate for water and some cool shade.
My maid saw a toddy cat moving away from the house at midday, probably because the top of the house--under the roof tiles, where it lives normally--had got too hot. I saw monitor lizards running around madly at noon looking for a bit of cool shade and a small mongoose actually venture into our backyard post our lunch, when everything was quiet, for a drink of water from under the outside water tap, although it could probably scent my Lab pup somewhere in the vicinity. Luckily she was asleep in the shade inside and so the mongoose had it's sip of water in peace. The undergrowth, which is usually green, at least in the shade, throughout the year, was just brown & more brown.So these poor ground creatures were having a hard time.
Then came the welcome rains--evening showers and what a difference! The day after the first shower, I saw a woodpecker and a magpie robin singing away and as my maid says, all the plant world was smiling:-)
Now, after regular thundershowers most afternoons, all the lilies are in bloom and the undergrowth has suddenly turned green. I even saw a kingfisher, sitting high on a tree, enjoying the cool, damp air.
I'll post a video later of a duet between the magpie robin and a racket-tail drongo.
My maid saw a toddy cat moving away from the house at midday, probably because the top of the house--under the roof tiles, where it lives normally--had got too hot. I saw monitor lizards running around madly at noon looking for a bit of cool shade and a small mongoose actually venture into our backyard post our lunch, when everything was quiet, for a drink of water from under the outside water tap, although it could probably scent my Lab pup somewhere in the vicinity. Luckily she was asleep in the shade inside and so the mongoose had it's sip of water in peace. The undergrowth, which is usually green, at least in the shade, throughout the year, was just brown & more brown.So these poor ground creatures were having a hard time.
Then came the welcome rains--evening showers and what a difference! The day after the first shower, I saw a woodpecker and a magpie robin singing away and as my maid says, all the plant world was smiling:-)
Now, after regular thundershowers most afternoons, all the lilies are in bloom and the undergrowth has suddenly turned green. I even saw a kingfisher, sitting high on a tree, enjoying the cool, damp air.
I'll post a video later of a duet between the magpie robin and a racket-tail drongo.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Earth hour
I was alone at home and so I turned off all the lights and sat outside in the moonlight with my pup, making phone calls on my mobile phone and then playing my guitar. I think pup dear liked the music, cos she just lay behind my stool very quietly and that is unusual for her. But ours was a lone household, cos the flats on the left and right off me all had their lights blazing.
But then just a minute or two after 9.30 there was a power outage and so my Earth hour went on for 90 minutes! The funny thing is that when I turned off lights out of choice, I didn't mind, but having it forced on me was not nice.
But then just a minute or two after 9.30 there was a power outage and so my Earth hour went on for 90 minutes! The funny thing is that when I turned off lights out of choice, I didn't mind, but having it forced on me was not nice.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Sunday, January 31, 2010
New Lab pup
I am now again mum to a dog. She is a yellow Lab and is just about 7 weeks old. She's intelligent and seems to be learning fast. She's called Elsa--a name chosen by my grandson after watching 'Born Free' [:-)] and is Elsa the lioness' colour.
Her toys here--coconut husks, which are in plenty; the fruit covering of the mahogany--a really hard woody little sliver, which shows no dent from her teeth; a piece of an old towel; a discarded pressure cooker gasket; a withered branch off of the cinnamon tree and.......a ball! Promise to take some photographs to put up here.
Her toys here--coconut husks, which are in plenty; the fruit covering of the mahogany--a really hard woody little sliver, which shows no dent from her teeth; a piece of an old towel; a discarded pressure cooker gasket; a withered branch off of the cinnamon tree and.......a ball! Promise to take some photographs to put up here.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Annular eclipse
There was an annular solar eclipse on Friday, which I'm sure you have all read about. They say that another such eclipse will only come again a 1000 years from now!. Though cloudy weather had been predicted, the sky was beautifully clear.
I'm sure there are any number of pictures up on the Internet taken at that time. I'm shamelessly adding to that clutter.
The crescent sun cast such beautiful patterns through the leaves..........
This last is the new addition to our house--35 days old--lying in the beautiful light patterns!
I'm sure there are any number of pictures up on the Internet taken at that time. I'm shamelessly adding to that clutter.
The crescent sun cast such beautiful patterns through the leaves..........
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| From Beauty around me |
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| From Beauty around me |
This last is the new addition to our house--35 days old--lying in the beautiful light patterns!
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