On a fine morning blessed with clear blue skies, about three weeks back, a pandemonium of Rose-ringed Parakeets (Psittacula krameri) descended upon our neighbourhood in all their emerald glory. Swinging on the high-strung cables, our broadband lifeline, the five females and two males started putting in a regular appearance – thrice a day – since then. The shrieking frenzy with their squawking calls created quite a bedlam – a ruckus to the uninitiated, but sweet music to the ornithophile!
Straightaway they upped their nuisance value; poking their large, red, curved beaks into other birds’ businesses – teasing the Common Mynas by scratching at their nests, diving after the pigeons and ruffling the crows’ tail feathers. Only the sparrows were spared – probably as a pity at their petty presence – who took it as a sign of accommodation and began shadowing their newly found, self-anointed big brothers, matching step for step, with reverence and awe.
The only, and serious, unease for the sparrows as well as me was the bird-feeder. The sparrows weren’t in the mood to share their favourite foxtail millet seeds (unaware that the parakeets did not care two bits for these) and I couldn’t replace – or God forbid, mix – these with pearl millet which the parakeets loved! So the ideal solution was found in the procurement of two new feeders for the visiting viridescents – one outside the living room and other the bedroom – filled with crunchy, nutty, pearl millet, and a melange of green chilies and assorted fruit thrown in. And they came – feasting with delight on the goodies!
But little did I know that my troubles were just beginning; for these birds were one cautious lot, more than the sparrows or for that matter any other bird I have fed. How do I chronicle without photographs and how do I photograph those who skitter at the sight of a shadow? Concealing behind curtains with lens pointing, hiding behind corners with only the camera peeping, lying prone flat on the ground under the curtains – nothing worked!
Finally I resigned to the truth that there were no shortcuts to triumph this time, and started off on a familiarisation program. Sitting in plain view of the parakeets, but behind a closed window pane screened by a netting, I could see them gaze cautiously at an ogling me while pecking at their food tentatively. After two weeks of a tenacious struggle, their pecking became more definite while I graduated to only the window pane separating me and the objects of my desire.
And thus stands the situation at present, which the photograph sums up perfectly – suspicious, questioning, vigilant, hesitant, cautious… I see you!
– Narendra Nayak © 2019
You have the patience of a true birdlover. Great story. Interesting that they didn’t bother the sparrows.
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Thank you so much, Pat! 🙂
Yes, I was surprised so – and now the sparrows often eat from the parakeets’ feeder too!
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Guess you can feed old birds new food.😁
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Ha ha ha… well said!
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Wow! They finally accepted you, even though a little suspiciously. And you didn’t give them much choice here. Who would want to miss out on a sumptuous meal laid out so neatly just for the sake of a pair of prying eyes! Love the featured photo, it goes perfectly with the story 😀
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Ha ha… I’m not absolved of my nefarious intentions yet, and rightly so from their outlook! 😄 But yes, the odds are improving – only this morning there were 4 of them pecking away blissfully!
And thank you, Neelanjana, for following along diligently where my birds lead to! 🙂
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They start liking you soon am sure and let you click away to glory 🙂
You just need to make sure their food is never compromised with 😀
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Yes, I am the perpetual optimist! 🙂
Oh, their food…I would for once neglect mine, but not my birds’…ha ha
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😀
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My family and I are bird lovers. Photos of parrots are very nice and story was interesting.
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Thanks a lot; I’m glad you liked it! And I’m happy to see that I have company of some more bird lovers! 🙂
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✨✨
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Whoa! What immense patience you display Narendra and were aptly rewarded with some lovely pose by the parakeets 👍
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Thank you, Radhika! I yet continue to struggle but hopefully the parakeets will relent and get a portfolio done soon! 😄
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Your writing is wonderful. I can hear the parrakeets’ pandemonium, bedlam, and ruckus, yet as a fellow ornithophile, I, too, am enjoying their emerald glory! Wow!
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Hey Tanja, I’m delighted that you enjoyed it! Thank you so much! 🙂
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The photo featured in this post speaks to the audience so well. I enjoyed reading it.
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Thanks a lot for your kind comments! I’m happy that you enjoyed reading it! 🙂
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We have monk parakeets here: a small green parrot that was imported into the country “somehow.” They thrive here, building huge colonial nests in palms and power transmission towers. When you described the sounds and habits of these, I laughed. Your description would fit our birds, too — pandemonium is just right. The photos are delicious. I’ve never been able to get a photo of ours, because they’re also cautious. Still, they’re fun to see in the air.
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Aha… I’ve heard of monk parakeets and seen them in some documentary long back. I find them cute with their green and white, and pudgy appearance. Yes, I guess parrots/parakeets are quite a mart lot and a welcome challenge to photography. 🙂
Thank you, Ma’am, for reading, and sharing your experience!
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Your blog is a birdwatcher’s delight
This is an interesting read 🙂
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Thank you so much, Swati! Your comments are always so encouraging! 🙂
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