Purple
Sunbird, (Then Kuruvi), is a very
small bird, shiny black with a slight blue tinge on its neck (Male) or
grey birds with white bands (Female), with a long pointed beak, which draw out
nectar from the ‘Asoka Chethi’, Banana
bunch, ‘Devataru’ Bottle Brush and
other nectar yielding flowers. When these flowering trees are in full bloom
these birds would flit around the courtyard. They make beautiful baggy nests
with a hole on one side. It is made of coir fiber and bird’s feather. These
nests can be seen on bushy shrub trees including the ‘Asoka Chethi’. During noon time, it used to take a dip in the
pond. It was very interesting to watch them do so. After one dip, it hovered
for some time just one foot above the water surface making a humming sound. More
dips were taken again and again after intervals of a similar nature. One day,
while we were watching this bird in action, we saw a big Varal, Striped Snake-head, a predator fish, approaching the dip
site. When the bird plunged down for its dip it did not realize it could be his
last one forever as he was in the grip of the ‘Varal”s jaws. We watched helplessly. Before we could do something
to release the bird, both the fish and its prey vanished from our sight.
Excerpts from
MEMOIRS
An autobiography
by
Joseph J. Thayamkeril
Lawyer, Kochi, Kerala, India.
josephjthayamkeril@gmail.com
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