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Kashi 3.0

Memory is unpredictable . One never really knows what we will remember and what we will forget. Which is why nostalgia arrives in unpredictable waves, highlighting something and skimming over others. Recently, I have found myself thinking of how memory works, as I was assailed by nostalgia over a trip to Varanasi, a city I prefer to think of, as Kashi. The nostalgia hit right as we landed at Varanasi airport. The last time I was here, it was 1988, I was 13 years old, the airport was brand new… regular flights hadn’t started yet (I think) … flights landed about once a week, and for the rest of the time, everything was open to those of us who lived in the airport quarters nearby. There were fields everywhere, vast expanses of green… I have vague memories of corn and sugarcane… and being overwhelmed by the vastness of the fields (this was the first time I was in such close proximity to them), and the warm hospitality of complete strangers who lived and worked amidst these fields. I h...
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Armchair Birdwatching - Hoopoe at Ooty

The Hoopoe is a common bird, but not so common where we live. Thus, its always a pleasure to watch one, whenever we do get to see it. Like at Ooty, when, sitting on the lawn outside our cottage, I spotted this pair, busy catching worms for their breakfast!




Over the next couple of days, I saw them each morning, about the same time, but never did manage to capture them in the same frame as I did, that first time I saw them!


This was also the first time I heard their call, and realized that their name resembles their call! Over the next few days, the clear 'Oop oop' sound had me rushing to the window to see if I could spot the pair again!  


It was peak summer when we visited Ooty, and unseasonal rains cooled the already pleasant hill station enough to make us shiver! There were few birds around, but these hoopoes were busy. Probably the rain brought out the insects and worms from their burrows to the ground, for, whenever I saw them, they were either foraging, or had a worm in their beak!
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Location: Ooty, Tamil Nadu, India

Comments

  1. MridulaJune 16, 2014 at 1:28 PM

    Lovely captures Anu. It has been ages since I managed to capture a few decent bird shots and I miss it now.

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    1. Anuradha ShankarJune 17, 2014 at 8:31 AM

      Thanks Mridula! But you have been capturing such interesting places as well as events and people!am sure the birds turn will come back soon!

      Delete
  2. Meghana HassanJune 16, 2014 at 9:54 PM

    Beautiful clicks, their crest give them amazing look..

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    Replies
    1. Anuradha ShankarJune 17, 2014 at 8:34 AM

      Thanks, Meghana! You can understand how excited we were, the first time we saw them! We thought they were some rare exotic birds!

      Delete
  3. NatalieGJune 17, 2014 at 6:50 AM

    They are quite showy, aren't they, with those crests and the bars across their wings and backs! We have some woodpeckers here in the SouthEast U.S. that have quite dramatic plumage too and that remind me of these hoopoe's. I love seeing your pictures of all the birds from your part of the world; you take great shots of them!

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    Replies
    1. Anuradha ShankarJune 17, 2014 at 8:37 AM

      Thank you, Natalie! Yes, they do look showy, but are quite common birds! And we have woodpeckers like that too, with crests. Will post a photo soon!

      Delete
  4. UnknownJune 29, 2014 at 10:24 PM

    Saw the hoopoe at kabini . they have a very distinct call which reverberates around .
    Lovely pics.

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