The Mulberry Tree of my park…
By Aaryan Bhalla
Hi, Friends Here’s a new article for you again after a long time as I was busy with my Board exams for class 8. I think this will be one of my favorite articles. One must have eaten and enjoyed the mulberries from a mulberry tree in one’s childhood. If not any yet, try to experience the joy of delicious feeling. Excess eating may be a consequence of several changes.
Summer arrived this year so early just in march that my father told me that there’s a flower which blooms after April in Uttarakhand only blooms so soon this year and the mulberry tree of our park also sprouted its leaf and flowers so soon this year.
The previous year during the lockdown, when everyone was inside their home. My dad and I used to enjoy mulberries from the park. But this year I only got a few ones, and children’s and aunts plucked them and Ate.
'SHAHTOOT'
“The Taste of Indian Summers”
Some fruits have passed into the recesses of our parent’s childhood memories. During the summer months, we climbed the trees to pluck these purple red olive-like fruits to our hearts content. The eagerly awaited springtime when these berries start to turn from green to red to dark blue… climbing the tree… sitting on a branch to pick and eat on the spot… For us climbing the tree that had a cooling effect and the sweet and sour taste was sheer joy and happiness. They not only left a purple patch on the tongue but also a lingering tinge taste. Also the purple-stained hands and mouth… juice on the clothes, unmindful of moms firing, later, as the stains won’t wash out... memories of those innocent pleasures... We, those days, hardly realized that they are a rich source of proteins, vitamins, antioxidants, flavonoids, manganese, potassium, phosphorous and calcium and have great medicinal values. All told by my father, what a days they Would have Ago.
We ate the lower ones we ate, but I was wondering what about the top ones? These fruits are so soft that half of the 53% gets wasted because of strong winds. When we both walked on them both, the pair of our slippers deflated with mulberries and was too irritating wait… wait. So, our Birds were enjoying the top mulberries.
Several old but some new guests also came to have the delicious red-purple mulberries. The following are the birds who came to have them. Let’s have a quick look at all of them.
Jungle Myna
First time spotted in my park
Jungle Myna is a Myna that is a member of the Starling family, whereas it was for the first time when I saw this bird having hair spikes on its beak at Sector 24D, Chandigarh. Someone could not easily see these birds and had to travel to see them and were not found in the arid zones of India, But are resident in Chandigarh.
As the park is just opposite to my home. So I can come a couple of times twice a day. But this was the first capture of this bird by me having an orange beak with an angry, iris strange look.
Bank Myna: A resident but an uncommon bird??…
Finally! I got to see the Bank Myna in Panchkula for the first time ever. As the breeding season started for the birds, I got to see the paradise flycatcher for the first time also the several flocks of Bank Mynas near the flyover while coming back from the Saketri. It is smaller but similar in coloration to the common myna, only differing in having brick-red naked skin behind the eyes instead of yellow.
have seen them previously near Ambala. But for the first time, I recorded them here near the flyover of Swastik vihar. They are resident here and I thought they would be uncommon. But no Several flocks even hundreds of them had made nests in the holes of the flyover under the railway crossings.
Gray Wagtail: A resident Wagtail
I always wondered why wagtails and Indian rock chats and many more wag their tails up and down again and again? I asked in the Chandigarh Birds club WhatsApp group and the URL popped up in the chat and a page popped up on the desktop that said…
It’s thought that tail waging in birds may help flush out insects or act as a signal, either to others in the group, maybe as a dominance display, or to potential predators, as if saying that “I’m alert: you won’t catch me Ha...Ha”.
White Wagtail - A Winter Visitor
After watching Yoga shows on TV triggered me to go to the park to do exercises daily. But, it's normal that whenever I see a bird, I quickly run as much as possible in my direction to bring my camera before it flows away.
A sunny morning with a muddy, grassy wetland in the park because of opened pipes attracts the flocks of these beautiful pied black and white-colored white wagtails.
At first, I could see a couple eating seeds. They called loudly in their flights and a set of two more came wagging their tails, eating earthworms, and the naughty Palm squirrels fighting and chasing the worms from them. Next, we have a very rare bird to see in the park.
Common Starling - A winter migratory
(Rare Sighting)
Common starling is also known as European Starling. Common starling cannot be seen easily, as it's rare these days because of its decreasing population. When I was walking in the park with my friend Raghav. I used to watch it and was initially confused by the common myna.
But, when I listened to the calls it was different and plumage too. I ran and told Raghav to wait and click the beautiful bird with a glossy black plumage with a metallic sheen of green-golden and blue spots on it. I was pleased to view this majestic bird.
Common Rosefinch
A bird addicted to eating Mulberries
On the 4th of April, after coming back birding in Siswan. I saw a pair of pinkish birds trotting and hiding in the branches of the mulberry tree. I did not see them at first because of their extraordinary camouflaging in the reddish-pinkish tree full of red mulberries.
Then, I could see the 2 males shining in the sunbeams eating the green sour mulberries. I will find some more new species on the mulberry tree as it attracts them more than ever. Today I spotted the common Rose Finches. A recent new addition to my home birding list. Now, let them enjoy their breakfast lets move on to the parakeets.
Black Redstart - Again a winter migratory
One of the most common redstarts one can find
My happiness has rubbed off a little on This Black Red Start (Male) which gave me a tough time. but, I finally caught it hiding in the bushes of jasmine/Motia flowers with its tail feathers spread like a hand fan while wagging quickly. Black Redstart is a bird that arrives in early Sep-oct and generally migrates back in late March-April.
Rose-Ringed Parakeets
It was a sunny evening with hot wings when I was waiting for my friends to play and saw a rose-ringed parakeet calling and shouting, enjoying mulberries. I ran to bring the camera and captured this outstanding bird having an orange ring noticed for the first time after capturing.
It seems as if the parrot is giving a natural poss. But it was eating mulberry which accidentally was just falling and it picked it up and I clicked it up. 🤣🤣
It is very simple to differentiate the two, which can be just by seeing the black ring around the neck. Males have whereas females don’t.
Alexandrine Parakeets
The following day I used to meet its cousin Alexandrine Parakeet. Calls are usually the same, but there’s a quiet difference.
The difference between both of them Rose-ringed and Alexandrine Parakeet is having the red patches on the Alexandrine Parakeets, whereas the rose-ringed have the whole green plumage with a black ring.
I could only spot the male but the same as rose-ringed parrot just by seeing the black ring around the neck. Males have whereas females don’t. I was only able to see the males. I am happy to see all these birds attracted to the Mulberry Tree of my park.
Indian Paradise Flycatcher: A summer Breeder
More I explore the trees and bushes of my yard. The more gems I find, hiding themselves camouflaged. Walking in the park is the only exercise I could manage during these dangerous days. It was 8:50 AM morning, the 15th of May 2021. All around crows and sunbirds were shouting and when I just glanced it और मेरा मूंह खुला का खुला with sudden excitement.😲😯It was for the first time to see a beautiful rufous ‘Indian Paradise Flycatcher’ female in my park which was trotting in the trees.🙂
I ran to bring my camera. But, it didn’t stand on a branch for a single second, always kept jumping from one branch to another in the emergent layer of the trees which would’ve helped me to take a wonderful photo.
It’s a summer visitor, and It’s also a new addition to my home Birding list now, it has been listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List since 2004. 🙌🙌
Finally, I grab some photographs, however; they are blurry, sorry for that और हां clicking its photo can definitely give you pain in the neckइधर से उधर, इधर से उधर. 😅
There’s a rumor that this flycatcher can probably only be found in the cactus garden of Panchkula. But this shows that we don’t need to travel long distances as nature is at our doorstep only. 😃 I am very happy, it made my day today.😌😌
Indian Palm Squirrels: Naughties!!
See how hardworking these squirrels are seeking to reach the black sweet mulberries but, It’s unable for it to go through mulberries. But, कहा गया है ना कि कोशिश करने वालों की कभी हार नहीं होती that’s the reason. In spring, squirrels eat the buds and flowers of red maples, elms, oaks, and other trees and later feed on fruits like mulberries and the winged fruits of red maple.
The poor Jungle Babblers had to eat the fallen Morus mulberries because of different agents such as strong winds and birds.
But, not only the babblers one day I saw a Brown Rock chat came quietly and just take away a mulberry. I glimpsed at it and captured the moment speedily as if possible. 😊
A Fight
On the same day, I saw a battle between two Rock pigeons on the issue of just a twig for the nesting material 😠 when an aunt was resting in the park saw me and advised me to click their photograph and I snapped the camera button and clicked the war.📸📸
Some old friends also came….
Purple Sunbirds
Sunbirds are more active in summers than in other seasons. They can be easily listened to chirping and singing their calls, again and again, in the evening or morning. 🌄
The close-up of a Male Purple Sunbird that came to the mulberry tree today. It’s currently in a lovely spring plumage which is also eclipse plumage in which one can observe the orange and red colors appearing from under the wings. It’s a fairly common bird, but it takes a keen eye to observe all the colors.
The female likes the plumage worn by the male for a month or more in summer after breeding.
I’m happy that they are always there roaming and encircling in our parks, gardens, and surroundings.
न जाने कहां खो गया मेरा बचपन, जिंदगी की भाग दौड़ में?
But, unfortunately, we are so busy that we don’t have time to wait and see the beauty of nature around us especially children who are so busy playing games like free fire and PUBG that they don’t have time to play these natural games given to them by nature.
But I want to thank god who gave me this chance and opportunity during the lockdown to study birds, collecting knowledge, and capturing them. Thanks for reading.
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THANK YOU SO MUCH!! 😊🙏
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