Atop a verdant hillock, beneath the rising sun,
looking down on tree tops, my vigil had begun.
Ticking off the bird calls, all expected by far,
suddenly a screeching call, loud and bizarre.
On the southern slopes, I set my sight in search,
and there it was riotously, calling from its perch.
Quickly from the east, responding loud and clear,
from the boughs I saw, a baby hornbill appear.
Swooping in and nuzzling, his baby with his beak,
daddy tossed a large insect, a snack for his chick.
A small gentle throaty talk, and off he was again,
maybe to get it more grub, before it could rain.
The baby had meanwhile, wolfing down the snack,
started squealing and cackling, calling daddy back.
Daddy though was far away, not within earshot,
despite the intense calls, its efforts came to nought.
Patience was a virtue, it definitely had not heard,
onward over the branches, stumbled our baby bird.
Hopping about a little, its clumsy wings held forth,
diving into the thicket, our champ headed north!
Surely a short while later, daddy fluttered down,
despite the juicy beetle, victory turned to a frown.
Searching in crevices, and all shrubs thereabout,
he suddenly looked alarmed, fearing a breakout.
Then reflexively I waved, “it’s gone along that way”,
Daddy looked at me amused, “he’s surely gone grey”.
“I will find my baby soon, a few calls will help deduce,
but do help this guy he has, much of his screws loose!
[In pictures: The Malabar Grey Hornbill (Ocyceros griseus), male, with its baby, a juvenile female.]
– Narendra Nayak © 2019
Beautiful written
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Thanks a lot, Gauri!
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Loved this picture poetry Narendra!
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Delighted that you loved it, Radhika!
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Fun post with great pictures. Hope the baby hornbill lived to whine and dine another day.
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Thank you so much, Pat!
hahaha…whine and dine…loved it!
Yes, after a while I could hear the mutual calls converging.
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Good to know there was a happy ending.
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Lovely photos. Pre-monsoon?
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Thank you, IJK. Yes, the first few days of June.
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Awesome poem and photos!
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Thank you so much, Tanja! 🙂
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When I read “mocking bird,” my first thought was of our mockingbird: quite a different creature from your hornbill! It’s such fun to watch the comings and goings of the birds, and I do enjoy seeing these bird-friends of yours. They’re often quite different in appearance from ours, but the behaviors can be very much the same.
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I’m always delighted to hear from you, Ma’am, and it’s a pleasure to read your thoughts.
You are so right about the fact that sub-species of birds vary majorly across continents, but you can tie them down behaviourally!
Yes, the Hornbill is a totally different bird from the Mockingbird; my use of the words Mocking Bird was in reference to its call, which is a loud hysterical laughter! 🙂
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I figured that out after I listened to its call! We have a “laughing gull” that causes the same response. When they get going, I can’t keep from laughing myself.
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And I went to Google to hear the call of the Laughing Gull…ha ha ha…amazing how they make those sounds! By the way, Ma’am, you should also hear out the Kookaburra! 🙂
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Very nice! Beautiful pictures too!
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Thank you so much, Lyn!
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So much of bird love in one post 🙂
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Love, as honest and pure as it comes! 🙂
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Stunning pictures
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Thank you so much, Abhin!
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