Nature

A Story by Chitra

The day break is so lovely ! Before the rising of the sun, the colors of the sky keep changing, the varying shapes of the clouds, twitter of birds, especially the house sparrows. They seem to have some sort of musical gatherings, chirping, so loud and sharp.

Recently, many organisations are set out to save sparrows, the house sparrows which are getting extinct. They provide ready made bird houses, bird feeders, and provide sufficient information. They provide information on making bird feeders at home using pet( plastic ) bottles. Well, I tried out a bird feeder, but to my disappointment the sparrows hardly took a look at it. After a few days I had to go back to feeding them at the window sill, scattering some grains and sprouted pulses, (their favorite food), rice and so on, they really love to feed on basil seeds, and place a bowl of water in some reachable place for them; I have placed it in one of the plant pots, they can quench their thirst in this scorching heat. I think these small steps taken by every person could prove beneficial in saving many birds, leave alone sparrows, there are bulbuls known as greenbuls and humming birds too. I find some more species of birds around my house.

When I was at a shopping mall, to my delight and awe, there were sparrows nesting in some of the so called just right nesting habitat. What a way to accommodate to human situations; in cool air-conditioned huge place ; and there were many, feasting on the fresh coriander leaves and grains of several varieties; despite the people moving around, the commotion, loud music. They seem to be human lovers. No wonder we often find them nesting in some pipe holes, or in corners of lofts in the house. No doubt trees have been cut down, the forest area is depleting the use of mobiles and many factors are having adverse effects on birds. Love for nature need not be developed; it is inbuilt , the only thing is we need to be some what more observant and sensitive towards other things around us apart from our daily chores and routine life.