Joys of Backyard Birding

 

This month we have been birding in our backyard.... well almost, since the birding site is right behind our lane. And an unusual one at that - it is actually an open plot of vacant land that mostly lies undisturbed. Situated right next to the dispensary, it is an enclosed area with very little human footfall. Due to the growth of wild vegetation and tall grasses through the year, the area is preferred by the avian population. 

Many a times it is used as a breeding site. We have seen peafowl, egrets, lapwings, and herons before. This year due to the accumulation of stagnant brackish water, there are waterhen and black winged stilts as well.

During our walks around the neighbourhood, we make it a point to stop by this unusual birding site while it lasts. The chirps and twitters are pleasant to hear, especially in the evenings when the slanting sunlight gives the area a golden glow.

However, while the birds and their graceful flights look great, this swampy area actually points to a deeper malaise within the locality. Local residents are aware of the issues but the powers that be choose to ignore it. Six years of living in the neighbourhood have made us realise that systemic changes are impossible to pull off; the only options are to close our eyes to the problem, or grin and bear it. Of course there are more drastic measures that one may have to eventually take... 

But for now, I am loving this opportunity for backyard birding daily.

Update: Indian black glossy ibis spotted at this site on 15Feb2025.

Chorchori Chronicles

Traditionally the Bengali staple mixed veg preparation called chorchori is supposed to have potatoes and spinach along with any three seasonal vegetables. As my mother taught me, there are five main players, hence the alternate name paanch-mishuli. So in winters, veggies like radish and cauliflower routinely make it to the chorchori mix, while in summers one finds bitter gourds, brinjals and pumpkins getting added.

Now here I was cooking chorchori in the rains, so the essential spinach was missing. It is anyway advisable not to consume these greens during monsoon as they spoil faster and host a few creepy crawlies. So I decided to try leaves from my moringa tree instead. Totally not kosher, as any Bengali mashima would tell you! 

Moringa tree in the backyard 

But while being experimental I discovered that the moringa leaves added an interesting nutty flavour to the chorchori. Also since they grow high above the ground unlike spinach, their leaves do not get spoilt by the rain. And, their health benefits are many. 

A closer view of our moringa forest

Moringa is a hardy tree, pretty resistant to the vagaries of the weather. Then why not give a modern twist to the traditional chorchori and enjoy it every season. If the spinach is unable to pull through our current climate change, an alternative is on hand already.

When Climate Plays April Fools

 

First day of April, balmy weather, and a relaxing Saturday.... just too good to be true! Well yes, as the evening seemed straight out of apocalypse. Read on to know what happened...

This was our garden in the morning, full of spring blossoms and produce. As the son had finished his college exams, he headed out to the gym in the early evening. While the hubby and I went out to wrap up some chores and pick some stuff. Dark clouds were gathering so I hurriedly put in an umbrella in my bag before moving out.

In the next half hour, we got caught in a furious squall with gale-force winds and accompanying hail. The hailstorm lasted for about 15 minutes, with icy stones pelting our spring garden, destroying our lilies and many other plants, while the lawn looked like there had been snowfall.

Hubby and I waited it out at the local bus stop, thankfully protected from the battering by the human wall standing around (we were seated). We later walked home through a steady drizzle and inundated roads. Hubby used the umbrella while I covered my head and neck with a stole. Both of us had shoes soaking wet when we reached home. Son booked a ride home on a bike to avoid the swirling waters. Daughter, who was managing the home front alone, reported mild indoor flooding.

The episode was quite a lesson for all of us. Climate change is real, and here to stay. Such unpredictable weather is going to be the norm rather than the exception. And it can occur any time, anywhere. So mentally we must be prepared and thinking on our feet all the time. Tough times! And yes, April Fooled by the elements.

The Mango Tree Saga

The mango tree has always been an integral part of our love for this house. The first time we stepped in to see the house with our agent, the mango tree caught my eye. Green and lush, it gave the backyard a focal point and much-needed character. That it also produced fruits was not of much importance. What mattered was the perfect canopy it provided, given our location in the sunny tropics. 

After we had officially bought the property and repairs had commenced, the agent got the mango tree chopped a bit to give it a definitive shape. I remember it looked shorn when we moved in, and I missed its shady canopy. 

But in the next couple of years, the mango tree became lush again, and its canopy expansive. The shade it provided was so inviting that we spent many an afternoon working on our creative projects in its cool embrace. 

Situated right outside our bedroom, it was also a favourite with the birds, as their noisy chirrups woke us every morning. As we lay in bed on hot and endless summer days, looking at the lush leaves outside made us feel as if we were lying right under the mango tree. 

Just after moving in, we had an amusing episode with a bunch of local kittens who scrambled up the mango tree in a bid to escape us. You can read more about that here. For the first couple of years, the tree did not bear too many fruits. I made chutneys from the handful we got, happy to have gotten any produce at all. But last year the bees were plentiful and the tree filled up with flowers.

Soon there were fruits showing up aplenty in all the branches, filling our hearts with joy. Just the sight of them dangling cheerily, never mind the strong gusts of summer loo, gave us a lesson or two in resilience. 

And this was when the Delta strain of coronavirus was wreaking havoc everywhere. While we also lost loved ones, this tree and its bountiful fruits gave us hope. Hope that life always renews itself.

In June we harvested a huge crop of sweet, juicy mangoes that we distributed to family and neighbours as well. Basketfuls of the king of fruits right in our backyard was such an indescribable blessing!

Then in July that year, the rains came in torrents, filling up the roads and open stretches, and with water entering our houses. Even after the rains subsided, the ground remained wet and humid for weeks. That is when the termites came, making the mango tree trunk their home and eating away its roots. They ravaged the mango tree from its very core, despite all our efforts to fight them. And slowly the tree dried up, its leaves turning a sickly brown. 

We waited till spring, hoping against hope that something may sprout again. But when nothing showed up, finally last month, about a fortnight after we completed three years in this house, we had to let the tree go...

The backyard looks barren now, and we feel exposed and open to the prying eyes of neighbours. It has been heartbreaking losing the mango tree; it truly feels like losing a family member all over again. Such was the benign motherly presence of our beloved mango tree! 

A saga that ended much too soon...

Surviving A Flash Flood

The Flood

After an unusually cool summer this year, the second half of June and early July turned out to be incredibly hot and humid. The rains usually arrive by June-end but this year the heat was relentless. Till suddenly in mid-July the skies opened up, and how.

On the morning of 19 July, we woke up to swirling waters outside our doors. The lightning and thunder had started the previous night, and it started pouring by 4am. But since it was dark outside, one didn't realise the quantity of rain that was falling. By 7am the water started entering our house - from under the doors, and from all the piping outlets. The rain fell incessantly, sometimes heavy followed by light spells. 

We rushed to remove whatever little we could from the watery onslaught - groceries in cartons, cane furniture, cartons full of books and stationery, floor mats and rugs. Bewildered by the ankle-deep water all over the house, we just sat pondering what hit us. Nobody wanted breakfast even; the worry had killed our appetite. As did the dysfunctional toilets.

Thankfully the authorities had the good sense to switch off the power otherwise electrocutions would have been imminent. The RWA managed to get a pump running by the afternoon that ensured that water levels receded somewhat by the evening. 

Endless rounds of pushing out the water from our rooms using wipers resulted in backaches. Cooked food available in the fridge was a big saving grace. 

The rain stopped by the evening. Electricity was restored around 9pm after the authorities checked each junction to rule out the possibility of short circuits.

The Aftermath

Dampness

Most of the water was gone by the next day after many rounds of thorough cleaning. But one bedroom had a faulty floor levelling, and the accumulated water just stayed put in the corners and middle for a couple of days.

Smell

Floodwaters carry a typical odour, something we discovered when the smell of dampness lingered for days. This despite our trying all forms of ventilation and perfumery to give our olfactory senses some relief.

Spoilage

Stored pulses that had been timely pulled out of harm's way still developed a lot of infestation. Even after the skies had cleared and the sun was out.

Termites

Possibly the worst outcome of the flash flood was a termite attack, both on our mango tree and in the kitchen. The tree is eventually dying, with very little chance of a revival despite our best efforts at containing the termites. Meanwhile, an entire cupboard of the kitchen had to be cleaned out, and yet the termites seem to be spreading to adjoining cupboards.

Climate change is real, and right here! Even our own homes are no longer a safe haven. Time to clean up our act or get swept away...