Monday, February 28, 2011
Indian Cuckoo Female
There are many other Indian Female Cuckoos I know too ... None of them perch on trees though ...
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
More of the Bhardwaj
The Bhardwaj sighting is considered to be luckuy in some parts of India. The bird sighting.
Monday, February 21, 2011
The Coppersmith's Latest Aggressor: The Greater Coucal / Crow Pheasant / The Bhardwaj
The Greater Coucal or Crow Pheasant (Centropus sinensis) ,also called the Bhardwaj bird in India, is a large non-parasitic member of the cuckoo order of birds, the Cuculiformes.
A widespread resident in Asia, from India, east to south China and Indonesia, it is divided into several subspecies, some being treated as full species. They are large, crow-like with a long tail and coppery brown wings and found in wide range of habitats from jungle to cultivation and urban gardens. They are weak fliers, and are often seen clambering about in vegetation or walking on the ground as they forage for insects, eggs and nestlings of other birds. They have a familiar deep resonant call which is associated with omens in many parts of its range. The eyes are ruby red. Juveniles are duller black with spots on the crown and there are whitish bars on the underside and tail. The sexes are similar in plumage but females are slightly larger.
The Greater Coucal is monogamous and their courtship displays include chases on the ground and the male bringing food gifts for the female. Nests are built mostly by the male in 3 - 8 days. A Typical clutch consists of 3-5 chalky white eggs.
The Bhardwaj sighting is considered to be lucky in some parts of India. The bird sighting.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Asian Paradise Flycatcher - Female - Another Voyeur
Description
Adult Asian Paradise-flycatchers are 19–22 cm long. Their heads are glossy black with a black crown and crest, their black bill round and sturdy, their eyes black.
Female are rufous on the back with a greyish throat and underparts. Their wings are 86–92 mm long.
Male Asian Paradise-flycatchers change the colour of their plumage in the first few years of their lives. Sub-adult males look very much like females but have a black throat and blue-ringed eyes. As adult they develop up to 24 cm long tail feathers. Their rufous plumage moults into white with the central pair of tail feathers growing up to 30 cm long streamers that droop. There are adults called rufous-morph with rufous wings and tail but white underparts.
Behaviour and ecology
Asian Paradise-flycatchers are noisy birds uttering sharp skreek calls. They have short legs and sit very upright whilst perched prominently, like a shrike. They are insectivorous and hunt in flight in the understorey. In the afternoons they dive from perches to bathe in small pools of water.
The Black Drongo
Scientific name: Dicrurus macrocercus
Size: 30cms
Description: Smart and graceful glossy blue-black bird with a long forked tail. Sexes alike.
Habits: Fearless, agile and aggressive, this successful species is a feature of all our open spaces where its favoured insect food abounds. Individuals are territorial outside breeding season and have favoured perches from where they announce their presence with a medley of harsh calls mixed with skilled impersonation of calls of other species. Nests in trees which are protected from all avian intruders with zest and daring.
Habitat: Open country. Usually near habitation.
Range: Widespread resident across the country.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Friday, February 11, 2011
The Trial
You, me, we all do it.
We all play the slimy boss.
The cruel master to a poor slave.
We put things on a trial period.
So when a good thing comes along, we tell it
‘Listen am gonna let you happen, but you are on trial.
You goof up, then it’s done.
Your appointment will be terminated.
So go ahead and spread the joy,
but remember …
I am watching you.’
We then proceed to lie back and enjoy.
Time flies and the trial period is over.
The good thing comes up, apologetically ahems,
‘Was I good? Are you happy? Do you think you wanna keep me? Can I stay?’
That’s when we realize the power we have.
You almost laugh out loud in relief.
The good thing wants to stay?!
And here you were worried that it may want to leave?!
Now is the time to play smart.
The trick is in never letting the thing feel comfortable.
Never letting it settle or give it a place.
Oh never that! Never!
So we hem and haw.
‘Well no … you see … things were not satisfactory at all.
Pretty average!
Not special at all!
I should let you go, but what the heck! I will give you one last chance.
Now get lost.’
Mortified the good thing slinks away.
We know it’s going to try harder, the thing. It wants to stay.
What a joke!
The trial continues!
We all play the slimy boss.
The cruel master to a poor slave.
We put things on a trial period.
So when a good thing comes along, we tell it
‘Listen am gonna let you happen, but you are on trial.
You goof up, then it’s done.
Your appointment will be terminated.
So go ahead and spread the joy,
but remember …
I am watching you.’
We then proceed to lie back and enjoy.
Time flies and the trial period is over.
The good thing comes up, apologetically ahems,
‘Was I good? Are you happy? Do you think you wanna keep me? Can I stay?’
That’s when we realize the power we have.
You almost laugh out loud in relief.
The good thing wants to stay?!
And here you were worried that it may want to leave?!
Now is the time to play smart.
The trick is in never letting the thing feel comfortable.
Never letting it settle or give it a place.
Oh never that! Never!
So we hem and haw.
‘Well no … you see … things were not satisfactory at all.
Pretty average!
Not special at all!
I should let you go, but what the heck! I will give you one last chance.
Now get lost.’
Mortified the good thing slinks away.
We know it’s going to try harder, the thing. It wants to stay.
What a joke!
The trial continues!
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
François La Rochefoucauld, Duc De
"Some counterfeits reproduce so very well the truth that it would be a flaw of judgment not to be deceived by them."
"Self-love has nowhere a greater share, nor is more predominant in any passion, than in that love; and men are always more disposed to sacrifice all the ease and comfort of them they love than to part with any degree of their own."
"We all have strength enough to bear the misfortunes of others."
"There are but very few men clever enough to know all the mischief they do. "
"Self-love is the greatest flatterer in the world."
"The accent of a man's native country remains in his mind and his heart, as it does in his speech."
"Self-love is the love of a man's own self, and of everything else for his own sake. It makes people idolaters to themselves, and tyrants to all the world besides."
"There are wicked men who would be much less dangerous if they had not some goodness."
"Silence is the best security to the man who distrusts himself."
"Tricks and treachery are the practice of fools that have not wit enough to be honest."
"When a man is in love, he doubts, very often, what he most firmly believes."
"When a man must force himself to be faithful in his love, this is hardly better than unfaithfulness."
"We confess our faults that our sincerity might repair the harm those faults themselves have done us in the esteem of others."
"We often brag that we are never bored with ourselves, and are so vain as never to think ourselves bad company."
"A man's worth has its season, like fruit."
"A respectable man may love madly, but not foolishly."
"The desire to be thought clever often prevents a man from becoming so."
"What makes us so angry with those that have tricked us, is that they think themselves cleverer than ourselves."
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"Some accidents there are in life that a little folly is necessary to help us out of."
"True bravery means doing alone that which one could do if all the world were by."
"When the soul is ruffled by the remains of one passion, it is more disposed to entertain a new one than when it is entirely cured and at rest from all."
"Absence cools moderate passions, and inflames violent ones; just as the wind blows out candles, but kindles fires."
"Innocence does not find near so much protection as guilt."
"What makes us so angry with those that have tricked us, is that they think themselves cleverer than ourselves."
"It is almost always a fault of one who loves not to realize when he ceases to be loved."
"The force we use on ourselves, to prevent ourselves from loving, is often more cruel than the severest treatment at the hands of one loved."
"In her first passions a woman loves her lover, but later she loves love itself."
"Self-love has nowhere a greater share, nor is more predominant in any passion, than in that love; and men are always more disposed to sacrifice all the ease and comfort of them they love than to part with any degree of their own."
"We all have strength enough to bear the misfortunes of others."
"There are but very few men clever enough to know all the mischief they do. "
"Self-love is the greatest flatterer in the world."
"The accent of a man's native country remains in his mind and his heart, as it does in his speech."
"Self-love is the love of a man's own self, and of everything else for his own sake. It makes people idolaters to themselves, and tyrants to all the world besides."
"There are wicked men who would be much less dangerous if they had not some goodness."
"Silence is the best security to the man who distrusts himself."
"Tricks and treachery are the practice of fools that have not wit enough to be honest."
"When a man is in love, he doubts, very often, what he most firmly believes."
"When a man must force himself to be faithful in his love, this is hardly better than unfaithfulness."
"We confess our faults that our sincerity might repair the harm those faults themselves have done us in the esteem of others."
"We often brag that we are never bored with ourselves, and are so vain as never to think ourselves bad company."
"A man's worth has its season, like fruit."
"A respectable man may love madly, but not foolishly."
"The desire to be thought clever often prevents a man from becoming so."
"What makes us so angry with those that have tricked us, is that they think themselves cleverer than ourselves."
********************************************************
"Some accidents there are in life that a little folly is necessary to help us out of."
"True bravery means doing alone that which one could do if all the world were by."
"When the soul is ruffled by the remains of one passion, it is more disposed to entertain a new one than when it is entirely cured and at rest from all."
"Absence cools moderate passions, and inflames violent ones; just as the wind blows out candles, but kindles fires."
"Innocence does not find near so much protection as guilt."
"What makes us so angry with those that have tricked us, is that they think themselves cleverer than ourselves."
"It is almost always a fault of one who loves not to realize when he ceases to be loved."
"The force we use on ourselves, to prevent ourselves from loving, is often more cruel than the severest treatment at the hands of one loved."
"In her first passions a woman loves her lover, but later she loves love itself."
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Adi & Bird Potty Gyaan
Now this is brand new information related to bird potty. And something I never knew. Product of a nonsensical argument / comment from Adi - my beer brother.
Apparently many species of birds will swallow stones. These aid in digestion because they help grind items in their stomachs.
These stones are called gizzard stones or gastroliths and are usually smooth and round from the polishing action in the animal's stomach.
When too smooth to do their required work, they may be passed or regurgitated.
My advice: The next time you feel somebody has pelted one at your shiner, don't put your hand up to touch the spot. Bird pooh / puke alert ;-) yeesshhhhhh.
Apparently many species of birds will swallow stones. These aid in digestion because they help grind items in their stomachs.
These stones are called gizzard stones or gastroliths and are usually smooth and round from the polishing action in the animal's stomach.
When too smooth to do their required work, they may be passed or regurgitated.
My advice: The next time you feel somebody has pelted one at your shiner, don't put your hand up to touch the spot. Bird pooh / puke alert ;-) yeesshhhhhh.
The Common Myna / Indian Myna
The Common Myna or Indian Myna (Acridotheres tristis) also sometimes spelled Mynah, is a member of family Sturnidae, (starlings and mynas) native to Asia. An omnivorous open woodland bird with a strong territorial instinct, the Myna has adapted extremely well to urban environments.
The calls includes croaks, squawks, chirps, clicks and whistles, and the bird often fluffs its feathers and bobs its head in singing. The Common Myna screeches warnings to its mate or other birds in cases of predators in proximity or when its about to take off flying. Common Mynas are popular as cage birds for their singing and "speaking" abilities. Before sleeping in communal roosts, mynas vocalise in unison which is called as "communal noise".
Common Mynas are believed to pair for life. They breed through much of the year depending on the location, building their nest in a hole in a tree or wall. Nesting material used by mynas include twigs, roots, tow and rubbish. Mynas have been known to use tissue paper, tin foil and sloughed off snake-skin.
The Common Myna uses the nests of woodpeckers, parakeets, etc. and easily takes to nest boxes; it has been recorded evicting the chicks of previously nesting pairs by holding them in the beak and later sometimes not even using the emptied nest boxes. This aggressive behaviour is considered to contribute to its success as an invasive species.
Like most starlings, the Common Myna is omnivorous. It feeds on insects, arachnids, crustaceans, reptiles, small mammals, seeds, grain and fruits and discarded waste from human habitation.
The Common Myna widely appears under the name saarika in Indian culture from Vedic times, featuring both in classical Indian literature (Sanskrit) as well as in Prakrit Buddhist texts. The Sankrit term shuksarika, which refers to the Rose-ringed Parakeet (shuk) and the Common Myna (saarika), is used to indicate a pair or a couple, probably because both birds are vocal and capable of mimicking human sound.
In Sanskrit literature, the Common Myna has a number of names, most are descriptive of the appearance or behaviour of the bird. In addition to saarika, the names for the Common Myna include kalahapriya, which means "one who is fond of arguments" referring to the quarrelsome nature of this bird; chitranetra, meaning "picturesque eyes"; peetanetra (one with yellow eyes) and peetapaad (one with yellow legs).
St.Andrew's Church, Bandra
God Specialises in Restoration
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Before you give up, look up
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Before you give up, look up
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
The Meaning of Life
This is something that my friend sent today morning and well ... it hits the sweet spot. :-)
Some years ago, in India, there was a famous Guru giving a talk to thousands of people. In the crowd were holy men, presidents, film stars, musicians and many, many others. Apparently when this man talked, his voice was kind of ‘hypnotic’ and people became entranced by his words.
When he had finished speaking, the Guru asked if there were any further questions. There was a silence as people absorbed what they had just heard … until a man stood up. He was a business type, a western, skeptical man and half-laughing he said to the Guru, “Alright then, if you know everything, what’s the meaning of life?”
The man was trying to embarrass the Guru, to kind of belittle him. But, the Guru answered, “I’ll answer your question, but first let me tell you something about yourself.”
Now the man was the one that everyone was looking at and became uncomfortable.
“You have never been in love, have you?? Real, deep, true Love??”
“No”, replied the man, now slightly embarrassed himself, “No, I haven’t.”
“Because…” said the Guru, “…a person who asks the question that you asked me, about the ‘meaning of life’, is really only telling you something about themselves. They have missed out on, or not experienced … love. Basically, a person who knew real Love, from their own direct, personal experience, would never even be able to ask the question, ‘What is the meaning of life’, because they would already know.”
Some years ago, in India, there was a famous Guru giving a talk to thousands of people. In the crowd were holy men, presidents, film stars, musicians and many, many others. Apparently when this man talked, his voice was kind of ‘hypnotic’ and people became entranced by his words.
When he had finished speaking, the Guru asked if there were any further questions. There was a silence as people absorbed what they had just heard … until a man stood up. He was a business type, a western, skeptical man and half-laughing he said to the Guru, “Alright then, if you know everything, what’s the meaning of life?”
The man was trying to embarrass the Guru, to kind of belittle him. But, the Guru answered, “I’ll answer your question, but first let me tell you something about yourself.”
Now the man was the one that everyone was looking at and became uncomfortable.
“You have never been in love, have you?? Real, deep, true Love??”
“No”, replied the man, now slightly embarrassed himself, “No, I haven’t.”
“Because…” said the Guru, “…a person who asks the question that you asked me, about the ‘meaning of life’, is really only telling you something about themselves. They have missed out on, or not experienced … love. Basically, a person who knew real Love, from their own direct, personal experience, would never even be able to ask the question, ‘What is the meaning of life’, because they would already know.”
New Frequent Flier on the Tree Outside
Pic 1 & 2 - Bird outside my window
Pic 3: Mature Bird
Pic 3: Images of The Bird - Juvenile stage & Mature
Juvenile stage is when the colour is mucky and the chest is speckled.
Mature stage is when he gets to be a bright tsriking chrome yellow
The one outside my window is not the Juvenile male that I had thought it is .. it is the female.
The Golden Oriole
The Golden Oriole or European (or Eurasian) Golden Oriole (Oriolus oriolus) is the only member of the oriole family of passerine birds breeding in northern hemisphere temperate regions. It is a summer migrant in Europe and western Asia and spends the winter season in the tropics.
Description
The male is striking in the typical oriole black and yellow plumage, but the female is a drabber green bird. Orioles are shy, and even the male is remarkably difficult to see in the dappled yellow and green leaves of the canopy.
The name "oriole" was first used in the 18th century and is an adaptation of the scientific Latin genus name, which is derived from the Classical Latin "aureolus" meaning golden.
Golden orioles are native to Europe, Asia and Africa. They inhabit tall deciduous trees in woodland, orchards or parks and spend much of their time in tree canopies.
Ecology and behaviour
They feed on insects and fruit. They build neat nests in tree forks and lay 3-6 eggs.
Their call is a screech like a jay, but the song is a beautiful fluting weela-wee-ooo or or-iii-ole, unmistakable once heard.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
On life & death and the only thing in between - love
Life complements death, just like two wheels are necessary for the complete movement of a cart. Life is a process that is seen in living. We cannot attain life except by living, by flowing, or just by being alive.
Life is not a future kingdom that awaits us. It is not an enlightenment that we have to reach. It is not a dogma to incite us to move forward like a carrot placed before a donkey’s eyes.
What is Life?
Life is a process in cosmic existence that happens right here and now, at this very moment. It is present in the rhythm of your heart’s beat, in the throbbing of your veins, the current that flows in your blood, in the inhalation and exhalation of every life-giving breath.
In the fiber of every bone it is present. If you begin to search life in a future kingdom, you will miss it. Reality is here. You have forgotten it, and thus you have lost all contact with it.
You have lost communication and communion with your own reality and live in a dream-like, hallucinating world. Life is yours to search its own inner meaning through deeper awareness.
The ego
The ego is always afraid to love, because wherever there is love life seems like a wave that comes to a break, and wherever there seems to be a peak there is a break and death seems to appear. Life and death are complementary—not opposites. The ego and death are opposites.
To love one must die and be reborn, as the old self cannot love.
Only the new self can love, and to continuously love one must be born and die at every moment. It is creation and destruction at every moment, universally taking place, microscopically and macroscopically.
Life and death, after all, are complements of the same energy.
The same potency. It is not that they are opposites, as death is not the end of life, but the completion of one cycle of life. It is the end of one cycle of life, the climax of a particular lifetime.
When one fully understands the process of life, then death, its other face, is automatically understood and thereby celebrated by men of wisdom.
Because it is a unique, a major organic aspect of life, it is the friend of life, as death does not exist without life, and life does not exist without death. Death is seen as the background of life. It is the process of renewal, the recycling process.
It happens at every moment, just as life happens at every moment.
Life is not a future kingdom that awaits us. It is not an enlightenment that we have to reach. It is not a dogma to incite us to move forward like a carrot placed before a donkey’s eyes.
What is Life?
Life is a process in cosmic existence that happens right here and now, at this very moment. It is present in the rhythm of your heart’s beat, in the throbbing of your veins, the current that flows in your blood, in the inhalation and exhalation of every life-giving breath.
In the fiber of every bone it is present. If you begin to search life in a future kingdom, you will miss it. Reality is here. You have forgotten it, and thus you have lost all contact with it.
You have lost communication and communion with your own reality and live in a dream-like, hallucinating world. Life is yours to search its own inner meaning through deeper awareness.
The ego
The ego is always afraid to love, because wherever there is love life seems like a wave that comes to a break, and wherever there seems to be a peak there is a break and death seems to appear. Life and death are complementary—not opposites. The ego and death are opposites.
To love one must die and be reborn, as the old self cannot love.
Only the new self can love, and to continuously love one must be born and die at every moment. It is creation and destruction at every moment, universally taking place, microscopically and macroscopically.
Life and death, after all, are complements of the same energy.
The same potency. It is not that they are opposites, as death is not the end of life, but the completion of one cycle of life. It is the end of one cycle of life, the climax of a particular lifetime.
When one fully understands the process of life, then death, its other face, is automatically understood and thereby celebrated by men of wisdom.
Because it is a unique, a major organic aspect of life, it is the friend of life, as death does not exist without life, and life does not exist without death. Death is seen as the background of life. It is the process of renewal, the recycling process.
It happens at every moment, just as life happens at every moment.
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