Wildlife

Some conversation... Quite unusual for me to be off for several days, as I subject myself (and the rest of you!) to the discipline of frequent posts. But it was a full weekend...Saturday morning, to Hessarghatta, getting back only by 3pm and then having visitors...Sunday morning, to Valley School, back at 1pm, and then off to JLR Bannerghatta (where neither mobile phones nor 3G seems to work) to volunteer for a nature trail with 49 students of Vidya Niketan, on an overnight camp. Got back yesterday evening, and was rather tired...and today all the home chores demanded attention, so had to…

Some conversation... Quite unusual for me to be off for several days, as I subject myself (and the rest of you!) to the discipline of frequent posts. But it was a full weekend...Saturday morning, to Hessarghatta, getting back only by 3pm and then having visitors...Sunday morning, to Valley School, back at 1pm, and then off to JLR Bannerghatta (where neither mobile phones nor 3G seems to work) to volunteer for a nature trail with 49 students of Vidya Niketan, on an overnight camp. Got back yesterday evening, and was rather tired...and today all the home chores demanded attention, so had to…

We wanted a home mate But could not confine dogs, birds or fish to the indoors So we consoled ourselves Observing neigbours' pets Watching stray creatures And recalling childhood companions Until Ms. Columbidae came visiting We chased her away And wanted to 'grill' her out But she returned And: Built her nest Laid two eggs Warmed them well Hatched the squabs Who pecked at her crop And chirped, jumped and pooped As they grew Mr. Dove helped too And one fine day Away they flew All within a month   She's back in our balcony Or is she someone else?…

We wanted a home mate But could not confine dogs, birds or fish to the indoors So we consoled ourselves Observing neigbours' pets Watching stray creatures And recalling childhood companions Until Ms. Columbidae came visiting We chased her away And wanted to 'grill' her out But she returned And: Built her nest Laid two eggs Warmed them well Hatched the squabs Who pecked at her crop And chirped, jumped and pooped As they grew Mr. Dove helped too And one fine day Away they flew All within a month   She's back in our balcony Or is she someone else?…

 A memorable meeting... On the 6th of November,2011, I was privileged to be at a gathering of some of eminent birdwatchers of Bangalore. The gracious host was none other than the doyen of birdwatching in Bangalore, Zafar Futehally who has been instrumental in popularizing birding as a hobby in our city; ironically, the hobbby seems to be catching on in ever-increasing numbers as the number of species of birds in the City's shrinking parks and vanishing lakes are steadily decreasing.Here's Zafar Sahib, whose long years of service to ornithology cannot be understated: Several other eminent ornithologists and scientists, all of whom share…

 A memorable meeting... On the 6th of November,2011, I was privileged to be at a gathering of some of eminent birdwatchers of Bangalore. The gracious host was none other than the doyen of birdwatching in Bangalore, Zafar Futehally who has been instrumental in popularizing birding as a hobby in our city; ironically, the hobbby seems to be catching on in ever-increasing numbers as the number of species of birds in the City's shrinking parks and vanishing lakes are steadily decreasing.Here's Zafar Sahib, whose long years of service to ornithology cannot be understated: Several other eminent ornithologists and scientists, all of whom share…

 A very nice walk.... I've been interested in, and involved with, Magic Puddles a daycare and children's activity centre, for a while now, since I did a project with the children about trees. And having done the Puttenahalli Lake Walk a little while ago, I wanted to take the children there, too; so this morning, Viji and I rounded up some children and off we went!We started at the Brigade Millenium arch entrance:And as we went, I pointed out various interesting things to them. Here they are, keenly observing a grasshopper! The children were full of curiosity...their sentences always seem to…

 A very nice walk.... I've been interested in, and involved with, Magic Puddles a daycare and children's activity centre, for a while now, since I did a project with the children about trees. And having done the Puttenahalli Lake Walk a little while ago, I wanted to take the children there, too; so this morning, Viji and I rounded up some children and off we went!We started at the Brigade Millenium arch entrance:And as we went, I pointed out various interesting things to them. Here they are, keenly observing a grasshopper! The children were full of curiosity...their sentences always seem to…

  Here are some of the common butterflies that one can see around us, right now. One of the good places I look for them is the Reserve Forest in the MICO Arikere Layout; but quite often, I find these beauties in the gardens nearby, too!SNOW FLATLEMON PANSYCOMMON ROSEBARONETBARONET closed wingCOMMON CASTORTAWNY COSTERPALMFLYCOMMON PIERROTPLUM JUDY:CRIMSON ROSE mating:And, just to wind up, a beautiful beetle, too.JEWEL BUGI keep looking around me as I walk in the residential lanes of our city....these lovely creatures provide spots of colour and beauty to my day. ⊕

  Here are some of the common butterflies that one can see around us, right now. One of the good places I look for them is the Reserve Forest in the MICO Arikere Layout; but quite often, I find these beauties in the gardens nearby, too!SNOW FLATLEMON PANSYCOMMON ROSEBARONETBARONET closed wingCOMMON CASTORTAWNY COSTERPALMFLYCOMMON PIERROTPLUM JUDY:CRIMSON ROSE mating:And, just to wind up, a beautiful beetle, too.JEWEL BUGI keep looking around me as I walk in the residential lanes of our city....these lovely creatures provide spots of colour and beauty to my day. ⊕