Teetiri protects the grassland - 7 - Teetiri hides the nest by allowing herself to be seen

7

Teetiri hides the nest by allowing herself to be seen

Though she was trying to pretend to hide, she knew that her black and white head would immediately allow all predators to spot her. It had to be done in a manner that would seem to be very purposefully done. This would fool would-be predators. She began to shake some of the grass around her by crawling among them and casually stood up and began to walk away. She knew that there would be someone out there quietly watching her and remembering the spot where she had stood up.

Teetiri - visits the pond of water at the grassland. 

She could keep a watch on Teetiraa at the nest nearby. 

[Photograph - Savio Fonseca]

Teetiri walked out towards a small puddle of water that always collected amongst some rocks near the old well. It was said that some humans had once lived here in order to go by fishing boats in the creek to catch fish and prawns. One big storm had killed all of them and since then it had been seen that humans rarely came to this corner of the creek. Teetiri rushed loudly, “Treeeet, treeeet!” at two mynas who were drinking there. To all those watching, it seemed like Teetiri was staking her right to drink at the puddle. But it actually served as a signal to Teetiraa to begin to approach the nest, where the egg lay exposed to the hot sunlight. To all those watching, Teetiri was now drinking peacefully at the water puddle.

Teetiri and Teetiraa had decided to adopt this strategy of staging a double deception in order to try and allow their new eggs to survive. They had risked only two eggs this time. Teetiri did not understand how Teetiraa had thought of this idea. Sometimes he could be so smart, she thought. Teetiraa on the other hand, thought that this was Teetiri’s idea. She was always so smart, he thought. They had agreed with each other to try this survival strategy. Teetiraa was at quite a distance, away from the nest, but able to spot the location to be sure that there was no accidental predator. Teetiraa walked into a bunch of tall grass in a bold manner and suddenly sat down. He waited for some time and began to crawl out of the grass towards a babool bush that had low undergrowth. Reaching the babool bush, he crawled in and around the low branches until he came to a ber (Zizyphus berries) bush that was alongside it. He repeated the same crawling in the ber bush. He came out the other side to a bunch of stones that helped him hide while crawling in and out of the low grass. He was now close to the nest. He waited here for some time, looking around to spot any approaching predator.

At this very time, Teetiri flew up into the sky, calling out loudly, “Treeee, treeeee, tweeet, did-you-do-it? did-you-do-it?” When he was sure that everybody would be watching Teetiri flying and circling about, repeating the loud harsh calls and disturbing the entire grassland, Teetiraa did the final crawl to the nest, checked out the two eggs and sat over them. Teetiri watched him from above, making sure that no predator was approaching the nest, and sang out the all-safe call, “Treeee-he-did-it, Treeeee-he-did-it!”

Teetiri and Teetiraa repeated this shuffle, hiding among the bushes and stones, trying to fool their enemies, morning, evening and night, day in and day out. They had to keep on doing it, without losing their guard, without making a mistake, in order to ensure that their clutch of two eggs hatched perfectly. Both of them knew that the actual battle would begin when the eggs were hatched and the chicks would be born. They would then have their very own redwattled lapwing family to take care of, to protect, to raise, to feed, to take care of, to feed, to take care of, to feed, and and and and, wow, it was indeed going to be a lot of work. They would have to hide their chicks, feed them, feed themselves, and make sure that nobody spotted their family together for at least ten days after the eggs were hatched. For now, they had to be careful, extra careful. 

Teetiri protects the grassland - 9 - Dominga searches for Darzi

9

Dominga searches for Darzi

Finally, it was Phoolchuki who gave the proper advice to Dominga. He told Dominga to go and consult the Darzi, the tailor bird. Darzi was known to be very wise. Very wise, and very skilled. Actually, Teetiri thought that Darzi was very wise, very skilled, very clever and a very good songster. Darzi’s song was usually at a very high pitch, but that call was that of a master at bird song. Nobody could mistake Darzi’s song. Also, Darzi was an expert at hiding his nest and was also known to be able to skillfully construct it with his beak. That was a skill that was very necessary for all birds, thought Teetiri to herself. It was very useful to be able to do activities such as stitching leaves together with one’s beak. Teetiri wished she could also stitch big leaves together and make a nest that was protected from all enemies.

Dominga went in search of Darzi. He was quite embarassed at having to seek Darzi’s help. This was because Dominga thought that he was the better songster than Darzi. He had always boasted about his abilities to Chimini and her large family, to Teetiraa’s cousins and to Kotwal. They had all agreed with him. But Domingi had once told him in the midst of another long argument that the other birds had merely agreed in order to stop him from talking about his songs and his skills. He did not even remember what the argument was all about. How could one remember all these silly things?

Domingi - knew that Dominga would not listen to her

The other birds had stopped arguing with Dominga.

[Photograph - Govinda Swami]

Now he had to search for Darzi. He met Teetiri and Phoolchuki. He told them that he knew that Darzi would love to laugh at him. But Phoolchuki and Teetiri had told him that Darzi was a wise bird and would not laugh at him. Teetiri actually offered to go with him to search for Darzi. The secret in searching for Darzi was to wait for his song. Phoolchuki also offered his help. Why were all these birds helping him, wondered Dominga. Why could they not just let him search for Darzi all by himself? Did they think that he was not capable of searching for Darzi?

Finally the three birds began to search for Darzi. Phoolchuki suggested that they should go and wait near the ber bushes. Teetiri agreed and went to walk around near the ber bush and kept searching for insects to eat. Phoolchuki flitted in and out of the branches of the ber bush and the nearby karonda (Carissa Karvanda???) bush. There were always nice tasty insects in these bushes. Some of those ants were quite delicious. The sap juice from the ber and karonda bushes tempted many insects to wander around the branches and Phoolchuki really enjoyed herself feeding near these bushes. Even Dominga, in spite of all his worries and anger could not resist eating up some of the ants that were stuck in the melting sap as it flowed around the branches.

 And then, suddenly, there it was, Darzi’s call, “Toowheeet-Toowheeet-whittoooo-whittooooo-whitoooo”. Very shrill, and very loud. It sounded like it came from the upper branches of the babool tree, Phoolchuki said. No, no, said Teetiri, it sounded more like it came from the adjacent neem tree. Dominga was amazed. He knew that this call seemed like it came repeatedly from both the neem and babool trees. There seemed to be actually two Darzi birds. Must be brothers, for otherwise how could one male Darzi bird tolerate the other so close to each other?

Phoolchuki volunteered to fly into the babool tree and request Darzi to come down to the ber bush so that Teetiri could also participate in the discussion. Teetiri could not climb into the branches of trees. She could fly about around the canopy but could not perch on the tree branches. Darzi would have to come down so that Teetiri could also participate in the discussion.

Teetiri protects the grassland - 12 - Dominga is fooled by Darzi and returns to Domingi

12

Dominga is fooled by Darzi and returns to Domingi

Phoolchuki, Teetiri and Darzi returned to talk to Dominga. It was Darzi who spoke first. He told Dominga that it was not an unknown thing for eggs to change colour while at the nest. It must have been Dominga’s mistake. Did he, did he, did he, did he ever, ever, ever, ever, feed one of those red and black coloured caterpillars to Domingi before the eggs were laid? Dominga was taken aback. Was it his mistake? Did he give one of those red and black coloured caterpillars to Domingi? He thought very hard. But Darzi did not give him time to think. He kept talking. Dominga must have, must have, must have, must have, fed one of those stick-like grasshoppers then. If not the red and black caterpillars or the stick-like grasshoppers, then he must have, must have, must have, must have given one of those glowing worms that shone brilliantly at night. Dominga nodded hesitantly. Yes. He had once caught one of those glowing worms.

But those glowing worms were certainly not shining once he had caught them, said Dominga. But, it may also have been one of those stick-like grasshoppers. He had once caught a young one. He stopped to think back. Darzi looked at Phoolchuki and winked. Now they had him. Darzi began to talk very fast again. Yes yes yes yes. That must be, must be, must be, must be it. He must have given one of the glow-worms or the stick-like grasshoppers to Domingi.  Did you know that could change the egg-colour? It was his entire fault. Did he, did he, did he, did he, did he scold Domingi for his mistake? Did he, did he, did he, did he? Darzi kept asking. He did not want to give any time for Dominga to realise that he may be wrong or that he was being fooled. And suddenly, Darzi flew away to the babool tree, and back to Darzeee at her nest.

Darzi was happy that he had completed two tasks. First, he had helped Domingi protect her eggs. Second, he had fooled Dominga. He had wanted to do that for a long long time. Dominga had always been a very proud songster, singing from the highest branch, or from some of those new electric cables and wireposts that had been lined up along the edge of the grassland. Those electric cables gave off a loud buzzing noise sometimes. Most birds did not go near them. Darzi was always content to sing from within the branches of trees or bushes, and usually sang to tell Darzeee or other tailor birds that he was nearby. But Dominga was a proud bird. He kept singing just to show off, Darzi was convinced.

Meanwhile, back at the ber bush, Phoolchuki told Dominga to begin smiling, stop his sad look and get back to Domingi back as soon as possible. Dominga looked at Teetiri and asked her as to what she thought. Teetiri also smiled and asked Dominga that he should certainly get back to Domingi right away. She must be starving at the nest. He should go and apologise. Phoolchuki would go with him and make sure that he did apologise. Otherwise Teetiri would tell all the other lapwings to spread the message that Dominga had been a very very bad bird. Then nobody would protect him.

Domingi - the female Magpie Robin knew that

Dominga would return to her after his anger would go off.

[Photograph - Govinda Swami]

Each time a Shaheen, the falcon, would come hunting for small birds near the tall tamarind tree, some bird or the other would point out Dominga’s location to be hunted. Or, it could be more dangerous, if the tailor birds sounded their alarm to identify Dominga’s hiding place to Shikra, the sparrow hawk, known to all the birds as the silent killer, who flew in between the branches of the trees and bushes. Frightened and completely humbled, Dominga flew back to Domingi with Phoolchuki at his side. Both Shaheen and Shikra were the most feared hunting birds in the grassland, riverside trees, in the orchard, and in the village nearby. Most birds usually helped each other to know that these hunters were nearby.