Tryst with a Little Egret
Image Courtesy Wikipedia
Now if i say that i had never before seen this kind of bird i'd be lying... There are hundreds of them in JNC... Moreover, i'd be decieveing my public (to borrow a phrase from Wodehouse) if i said that i hadn't met this particular representative of the species before too. I had, on several occasions, observed this very bird in the exact same spot where i happened to meet it today.
However, our relations had never before been more intimate than those of two passing strangers. Not even a cordial head-nod or a smile. Today, however, i decided to change this status and consequently, upon observing said bird in its usual spot, stopped to say "hi".
Now, i don't know if any of you have ever said "hi" to a bird before, but i must warn you that this is quite the wrong procedure to follow when trying to establish cordial contact between self and bird. It startles them... makes them go all jittery... Not very 'nerves-of-steel' types, these birds...
Anyway, quick as i am, i realised the mistake i had made in accosting the bird in this manner and hastened to make amends... That is to say, i hastened to stand very still and make no sound whatsoever. This gesture seemed to be taken kindly by the b., and, after about 15 minutes of self doing the statue act while being observed by it, it took a nervous step in my direction.
Thus, having identified me as a friendly and altogether alright chap, the bird relaxed... and so did i... It was still sensitive to any sudden movements on my behalf, but it let me approach closer nonetheless... Very white of it, i thought, to have trusted me knowing the ghastly treatment others from my species are known to have meted out to his kind. As time went on (and a considerable amount of it went on) it got used to my presence and even accepted me as part of the surroundings... So comfortable did i make it feel that it even turned its back to me... a thing no bird with any sense of self-preservation would do in the presence of a potential predator unless it is with a view to wing it in the opposite direction or when it has realised that the potential predator is in fact not one at all.
Anyhow, the bird now felt that Aditya was quite a decent fellow and could be trusted not to produce a rifle and proceed to fire at will. And thus it decided to resume its business, its business being to quench its thirst with water flowing through the stream and to find a few fish to go with the beverage. Remarkable fishing skills these birds have. They can give whoever it is that holds the current human record for fishing a run for his or her money anytime of the day. It proceeded to demonstrate to me the correct technique required to procure fish from the stream. This consisted of standing very still, waiting for a fish to come within range, and then striking with lightning speed with one's beak and trapping the poor water dweller in it. Having demonstrated the correct procedure, he went on to show-off... He no doubt thought "Sod the correct procedure! THIS is how the pros do it!" and then basically just waded through the water picking up fish as it went along... To say i was spellbound is to put it lightly... :D
When we parted, it was because i had work to finish and also did not want to impose my company on it while it lunched (I was unsure of what a bird's views are on the matter of company at meal times). But one thing is for sure... Guaranteed, even.... And that is that i shall return to meet my winged friend as often as possible. I prefer its company to many of my own kind... :D
