Moments with Mother Nature

"Pop, pop, pop..."
"Shh... listen... can you hear that?"

We all stop our conversations & instead listen to what mother nature is trying to say...

Of course I hear the sound, & also recognize whose voice it is...
The Crimson-fronted Barbet (Ceylon Small Barbet/ Oluwa rathu kottoruwa/Megalaima rubricapilla), the only endemic bird seen at our university premises.


Four years ago, I had no idea that such a bird even existed. But since I joined the University of Sri Jayawardenepura, to study Medicine mind you, & then became a member of the Nature & Photography club, this bird has become one of my good friends.

"That is the Crimson fronted barbet, the only endemic bird seen at our campus. Look around and see if you can spot it..." one of my batch mates say, trying to impart a little of his knowledge to our junior colleagues & newcomers to the Club.

Pages of our guide books are flipped through and binoculars trained on a tree faraway...

"Look, I can see it!"
"That's good, but remember, don't point! Describe the position of the bird, say, at the corner of the thin branch at 11 o'clock position..."

Everyone tries to locate the bird, some severely hyper-extending their necks in the process. Then we note down the name of the bird, & watch it for a while till it flies away.

"Come, lets go towards the open canteen... there are usually more birds there"

We head off in that direction, taking care not to make too much noise.

I look at my notebook..

1. Cattle Egret, almost always the first on my lists.
2. Black- rumped Flameback
3. Common Tailor bird
4. Red vented bulbul
5. White breasted kingfisher- NOT common kingfisher, although it is common
6. Common Myna
7. Brown headed barbet
8. Indian Koel
9. Spotted dove
10. Domestic pigeon
11. Black headed Oriole
12. House crow
13. Crested serpent eagle
14. Green imperial pigeon
15. Red wattled lapwing
16. Crimson fronted Barbet

From experience at previous "Annual Bird counts" which is, by the way, what we are doing now, I know that the list will be around 55 nos strong when we finish!

We break up into small groups, paying attention to sights and sounds we ignore on other days. We find, watch and document a number of other birds before a mild drizzle comes down on us.

Those with umbrellas (the girls of course) put them up, we all take shelter under them, and we keep looking until darkness falls and we have to head home.

After a day of Clincals and some work with our Community medicine research, I found that I had a relaxing time communing with mother nature.

Although of course, it is not a typical evening spent by a 4th year Medical student...