My first trip to Vaishnodevi was unimpressive. Climbing was hard, and it only served to highlight how badly out of shape I was, while my in-laws managed to cope so much better. Further, I hadn’t quite realized that the cave experience wouldn’t be the same as I had imagined, since the original cave was only opened at certain times a year, and that we only entered a newly created tunnel, one far easier to access, and hence more manageable with the crowds that thronged the mountain shrine. The resulting experience at the shrine, for barely a fraction of a second, hardly compared to what I had expected / imagined / heard about. So, for me, Vaishnodevi was like any other temple, nothing to write home about, something that was reflected (though not explicitly mentioned) in the blog post I wrote then.
Here's the kite again..... again with a twig in its beak.. Just makes me wonder how long its going to build its nest. I have seen it carrying twigs and straw for a few months now, and every now and then we are witnesses to serious fights between the kites and the crows. We are left wondering if the fights are for food or the nest, or the eggs in the nest..... Wish I could see the kite's nest!
And hey, I am getting to be more enterprising. I posted this one directly from Picasa!!!
So they are building a nest near you place! fearsome creatures. When i saw the heading in the reader I thought it was the other kite, the one kids fly!
ReplyDeleteI too thought it was the kite children play abut. Nice pic.
ReplyDeleteNice you have posted it directly frm. Picasa. I too want to do the same thing. May be I can take some lessons frm you.:)
Haven't seen you for quite a while. was wondering. I have posted about Kanchi.
@ Mridula & Chitra : guess the title was misleading.... and it is, after all, the season for flying kites.... i hope i get a few pics of those too....
ReplyDelete@Mridula : actually, they arent really all that fearful.. in fact, when u see the crows chasing them, you wonder who is the real predator!!
@ Chitra: yes, i havent been around in a while now, and have a lot of catching up to do... but that will take some more time... am rather busy with lots of stuff going on at home and with samhith's school....would love to help you out... just send me a mail...
and ijust glanced at your kanchi post... and wished i was there!
ohh price catch (on camera).. very interesting subject i must say..
ReplyDeleteVery nice. Find out the nest, it will soon be laying eggs and if you are lucky you may even get to snap the little ones when they hatch! Beware of the mommy though!
ReplyDeleteWow, gorgeous!!:)
ReplyDeleteWhen i saw the title i thought it was abt kites kids play with!!!
Hey Anu,
ReplyDeleteThis is the first time i've happened to comment on your blog.
I agree the title of the article is a bit misleading, but nevertheless, it is a very interesting piece to read.
The Kite and the crows must be fighting for the nest coz crows i have heard somewhere that crows are very reluctant to build their own nests and are always on the lookout for some one else's place to lay their eggs.I don't know how far it is true.
But given the fact that Mumbai always has a space crunch, is it any wonder that even these poor birds have to fight for their own space?
@AJCL: thanks.....
ReplyDelete@L_R: i guess it would be difficult to see the eggs or the little ones... we tried to last year.....
@Aarti: guess i really goofed up with the title this time :-(
@Sapna: Thanks for leaving the comment this time.... hope to see you here more often....
i wonder if the story abt the crows laying eggs in others nests is true... i have heard that of cuckoos.... anyway, as u say, there is a major time space crunch, even for these feathered ones....