A collection of essays on birds
Name – Erekhro-u Naro Class – X (Ten) School – Sacred Heart Higher Secondary School, Chizami Contact Address: C/O NEN Resource Centre, Chizami village, Phek district, Nagaland797102 Contact no. 09862414341
‘A Bird’s Eye View of the Forest around Me’ The forest that I see around me covers a wide range of
where no sunlight passes, it is so dim that no one can see
the mountains on all sides. They catch the attention of
what kind of inhabitants live there.
my eyes as they look so beautiful in nature. These forests
On the left side of the forest I see a tall tree bearing
make the environment feel fresh and green.
thousands of fruits where hundreds of birds and insects
I see varieties of trees with different sizes, some of these
gather to enjoy the fruits.Tthe left side of the forests has
bear sweet fruits and some of them bloom colourful flow-
varieties of Fungus and Lichens, I see a couple of Hoolock
ers. They are different types of plants in the forest with
sitting on a branch of a tall tree and next to them is a
different colours, small trees grow between them.
mother monkey breast-feeding her child.
I see a wide area of trees been destroyed and burnt by
I can also see a man passing through the trees, he has a
humans, they look so pitiful in my eyes, however the
gun on his shoulder, and every creature in the forest ran
small leaves that are growing again on those burnt tress
with fear after they saw the man. My eyes is full of pain
would never make the forest empty, they will continue
seeing the animals vanishing, I am looking at the eye of
to brighten the forest as it grows again. I see varieties of
each and every creature, their eyes is filled with pain and
birds with sparkling colours flying from tree to tree, and
fear, my eyes tells me that they are in need of help.
a little chick of an eagle trying to catch a green grass hop-
I look at the forest around me and every day is not the
per, as I turn my eyes to the right side of the forest, I see a
same. Something always vanishes in front of my eyes.
large group of hard working ants carrying a dead caterpil-
Trees are vanishing every single hour around me. But
lar, and going through a tiny hole, two tiny butterflies of
once all these troubles are gone, I can see that the fear
blue colours play around near a squirrel who is enjoying
and pain in their eyes are gone. They continue with their
his nuts.
work as if nothing happened.
Varieties of flowers grow in each side of the forest with
My eyes in pain are finally gone and I can see that eve-
sweet fragrance which attracts the honey bees, I see a
rything is going on well. From my eye view of the forest
mother wild boar lying fast asleep under a large tree
around me, every tree that I see in the forest is a home for
while her kids play in huge noises.
an insect, bird or an animal.
A humble fox walks alone with his head turning around
My eyes are filled with happiness when I see the forest
as if he was looking for something tasty to it, on the other
living in peace harmony and I hope that pain in my eyes
hand a wild cat tries to catch a fly which is disturbing his
never returns again.
sleep. As I take a deep look at the edge of the forest I see an area
Topic: What places would I want to visit if I were a bird on migration? By: Ria Shah Grade: Seven Contact Information: email: rsshah2002@gmail.com
My Trip to Zurich If I were a bird on migration then I would visit Zurich.
Zurich’s beautiful weather and its beautiful landscape.
Zurich is located in the north-western part of Switzer-
Overall Zurich was a beautiful and peaceful place to stay
land. Zurich is considered the world’s highest standard
and I will come back here every winter when it would be
of living. I would first visit Sprungli, a factory known for
too warm in the place where I come from. This is what
its truffle cakes and chocolate shop. I would nibble on
I would do if I were a bird on migration, I would go to
the soft chocolate crumbs that have fallen and would be
Zurich, Switzerland which is located in Europe.
enthralled by the taste. Though the chocolate crumbs may be minuscule, I will enjoy nibbling them. Next, with a piece of chocolate in my hand I will fly to Lindenhof, apublic place in the historic center of Zurich. I would sit on the Lindenhof hill and enjoy the peace as no cars are allowed inside the narrow streets of the Lindenhof hill. The view is amazing and the culture is rich as it is a historic center. Next, I would visit the Great Church, which is also in Zurich. The Great Church is a beautiful church where you can climb on a tower and see an amazing panoramic view of the city. From the Great Church I would fly to the Zurich toy museum which has more than 1,200 antique toys which include some toys that were made between the 18th and 20th century. My next stop would be the Botanic Garden, which covers 52, 000 square miles, and has many fruit trees and ponds. If I went to Zurich in August then I would perch myself on a float and enjoy the view of the Zurich Street Parade in which many floats and foam party parades on the streets of Zurich. Next I would enjoy the food at Salsa festival in Switzerland considering that people would spill food on the ground. And last of all I would enjoy the beautiful wind on my face as I sat on top of a boat. I would take a boat ride on the lake Zurich and would enjoy the last of
Name : Khrobe-u Class: 10 School: Sacred Heart higher Secondary School, Chizami Address: C/o NEN Resource centre, Chizami village, Phek District Nagaland- 797102 Contact: 8974994754
WHAT PLACES WOULD I WANT TO VISIT IF I WERE A BIRD ON MIGRATION Today in our life each type of bird has to migrate to sur-
And when I migrate to this place, first I will fly all over
vive. Because full of destruction and hunting of bird goes
the Nagaland and I will choose the best place to stay.
around the world, I chose the topic “what places� would I
When I find it, I will go in that place and enjoy. After
want to go and visit if I were a bird on migration.
some days I will join new friend who were in that place
If I were a bird on migration, I would like to visit all the
and when they migrate to other place I will follow them
places around the world and see what things go around
but when they are going out of Nagaland I will join new
the world. But one of the place that I want to visit is Na-
friends who are going to stay in this place.
galand because in Nagaland there are many mountains
I choose Nagaland to be the place where I want to visit on
and abundance of plants and fruits are found. And in this
Earth . I think this will be my favourite place if I were a
place we can find variety and structure of wild flowers
migration bird.
appearing, is sweet and lovely. And in this place flowering or bearing of fruit are found so that the birds find their food throughout the year in this region. And the place which I choose to live if I were a bird on migration is that I can get my food easily. Because there were many insects like worms, spider, bee and lot of thing which are edible to me. And the reason I choose Nagaland is that I can visit all the forest in Nagaland. There are many trees and fruits so that I can survive without going to other places. Why I choose this place is that there are many forest full of trees comparing to other place which has less tree and where lots of destruction and hunting is taking place. Because of hunting many of the birds are threatened and endangered species and it has led to extinction. Many of the migration bird were killed by hunters. In Nagaland even if the seasons change we can get atleast some fruit or plant to live as other place don’t have fruit or plant for the bird to live and stay.
Name: Kukhrolo-u Thopi Class : IX (Nine) School : Eastern Mission High School, Chizami Address: C/o NEN Resource Centre, Chizami Village, Phek District Nagaland- 797102 Contact: 9436607403 Topic: What place would I want to visit if I were a bird on migration?
If I were a Bird I am Hill Prinia, I am a small and cute bird. I am migrating from Asia to North America. The places I am going to visit are Australia, Antarctica and Africa. In Australia I am going to meet my friend Kooka burra to share some of her funny jokes and to hear her lagan story again and again. This time I think I am going to ask her about what places she visit when she was on migration. I am sure she visited a lot of exiting places and made a lot of friends because she is very friendly and everybody wants to be her friend. After that I am going to visit Antarctica. I am going to meet the Emperor Penguin, the largest penguin species. They are 115 cm tall and can live to more than 40 years. They are also a bird but they are flightless. They are very good at swimming. They are going to teach me how to swim. The last place I am going to visit is Africa to see the elephant that have the largest brains in the animal kingdom. The elephant may not see me because their eyes are small and its eye sight is poor. I will be like a fly to them. It will be a dream come true if I cloud visit all of them safely without being hunted. With no fear of the hunters but visiting many beautiful places, flying happily with my friend without being hunted during migration. So please don’t hunt us.
Name: Kuzote Lohe Class: IX (nine) School: Sacred Heart Higher Secondary School Chizami, Address: C/o NEN Resource Centre, Chizami village, Phek District Nagaland-797102 Contact: 094366421866/09862723983 Email: kuzotelohe@gmail.com
AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A BIRD We the Birds belong to the class Aves, we are vertebrate
take guns and shoot some of our friends.
living creature. As birds we are very important. We are
They took our feathers and decorate their homes and
found all over the earth, with different kinds, different
their dress too. It is a very sad things killing us and took
colour, different shape, different size, different habited,
our feathers, selling in the market with low prices. But
different feeding. Some of us built nest, some of us stay
there are some children who take care of us, great thanks
in hollow wood, some of us fly vey fast, and some of us fly
to them.
very slow, while some of us can’t even fly. But no matter
Since season change regularly, we also migrate from dif-
what ever may be, every one of us plays a very important
ferent place to another in order to get food and shelter.
role, according to different places we live in, from the
As we are moving with a group from place to place, north
smallest humming bird to the largest ostrich.
to south, west to east, across the cities and towns seeing
Ya! We are teethless. But we have horny beak, which help
the beautiful world.
us in different way we use it. Our forelimbs are modified
It’s a very enjoyable moment for us. As we are migrating
into wings, which we used for flying.
around the planet one of the most important place for us
Our bones are hallow which make us light and highly
is in Northeast India, where we could find everything we
adapted for flying our body is covered with feathers, with
like, mountains to mountains, hills to hills, trees to trees.
different colour except feet.
Where no people try to attack us we can find fresh water
The most important part of our body is our heart which
in Northeast India.
is completely four chambered. As we are warm blooded
Beautiful flowers and orchid which is found only here in
which make us easy and more comfortable to fly high in
the world. People across the world come in North of East
the sky. We respirate through our lungs only. We lay egg
India to observe us, taking our picture, a group of chil-
as we are oviparous. And our body is divided into head,
dren learning about us. And also due to our breeding we
neck, trunk and tail. Our muscles are well developed
migrate to the place where there is abundance of nectar,
which make us easy to fly. We are also called aerial ani-
fruits, plants, seeds, etc like in N orth East India
mals or arboreal animals.
As all the birds find good habitat, the best habitat for
Human beings identify us through different colour we
us is where there is lots of trees, where we can be free
have. They enjoy observing us, with their camera, binocu-
from human beings. Some of us fly very fast while others
lars, books, pen and so on...... They take our picture over
are slow. To catch the prey, some of us fly very fast like
and over again as if are one of the most wondrous among
eagles, owls, falcons.
all living things. Some people are very bad, they used to
The eye of an eagle is very good as it can see even an ant
that is moving on the ground from the sky, which is why he can catch the snake very easily. The other birds like to stay in hot weather while in cool weather, that help to maintain the food chain. Birds sing to defend their territory. Some of us live on the trees while others on the ground. We, the birds help in dispersal of seed as seed is one of our favourite fruit. We keep the earth clean as some of us also eat dead animal and rotten things. As all the birds are very important, Let us all join our hands together to save their lives and make our lives longer. Oh! what beautiful birds, Very colourful small or big, That fly in the blue sky Eyes open on the ground.
Ready Oh the prey it is Maintain the food chain, Food relationship, we interact To make ecosystem dynamic.
Oh! but still there are some, Guns on their shoulders, forest we need, Yeah! group of young children Preaching, we are saved Try to make the earth dynamic Let children conservation be.
Name – Lhitshewe Akami Class: X (Ten) School: Sacred Heart Higher Secondary School, Chizami Address: NEN Resource centre, Chizami village, Phek District- 797102 Contact no: 08414833512
‘Autobiography of a Bird’ A simple tiny being produce thousands of attraction to
often attack our crops but it is their diet for survival.
million of living beings, which is popularly known as a
Birds bring joy and happiness to our lives and yet we
bird. Birds spent most of their lives, singing with melodi-
don’t know what it is. Their voice echo through the
ous voices, fly and dance with brilliant action around the
mountains slopes, bring back life to dying plants and wel-
pretty cool earth. No one ever taught them to do so, but
come the day with cheerful choir lined on the branches.
its all by their heart desire to do so.
They achieved almost all thing in their life, behind them
When summer sets in, birds begin their work, for their
man are with weapons to haunt them down from their
family and for themselves too. They start building nest,
natural world.
busy collecting twigs and grass whole day and making up their time to make the best nest ever made. To let their neighbours appreciate their work. When lady bird starts to lay eggs, gents make himself alert and make sure that no one will disturbs to their family. Also gents sacrifice their time searching for food like fresh vegetables and healthy insects to let their family stay out of hunger and to let his children be in good health. After some weeks pass as children grows up, parents train them to haunt for their food, escape from their enemies, how to fly and how to land on trees, and they begin their life to be independent from their parents. But the arrival of children in the forest disturb and bring trouble to them. Children with their weapons runs after them and strange sounds came out from the forest the whole day. They are murdered and killed with no reason left behind. Children went back home with joy and a bag full of birds. They lived a short life although they are well fit to live longer. As birds are the only living being who fly naturally, so seems like man are jealous of it. Yes, it is true that they
Name – Neikozo-u Naro Class – IIV (Seven) School – Sacred Heart Higher Secondary School, Chizami Address: C/o NEN Resource centre, Chizami village, Phek District Nagaland- 797102 Contact: 9436607403
‘Autobiography of a Bird’ Of all things in nature, the tree place an important role
and sense organs are well developed. Their forelimbs
in our daily life. Trees are also living beings. Each of us
are modified into wings. The bones are light, hollow and
should know the important of tress and the need for
spongy and contain many air cavities. Aves called birds
preserving forest.
which are found all over the world. Sizes varies from
There are varieties of birds. Birds are a feathered ver-
smallest humming bird to the largest ostrich. Their jaws
tebrate with a beak, two wings and two feet, egg lying
are teeth less and have a horny beak endoskeleton is
and adapted to fly. There are over 9000 species of birds,
boney. Body covered with feathers except feet. Heart is
living in wide range of environment from deserts to the
completely chambered. They are warm blooded. Respi-
open oceans. Birds are the only animals which have
ration through lungs only. Birds are oviparous animals.
feathers, which they use for flight, insulation and camou-
Body is divisible into head, neck and tail example are
flage.
pigeon, sparrow, ostrich, koil, peacock-national bird of
Flying birds have light weight skeletons with air-filled
India.
bones but many are also diving and flightless species. The
If a bird fly to the village to some home then they will
bones are solid, birds lack teeth but instead rely upon
kill it, if it is on the forest ground when they fount it they
a muscular gizzard to grid up what they eat using their
shoot it. If he is on the trees above without hiding they’ll
beak of feet to collect or catch fruit. Birds lay hard shell
shoot, so where should birds stay. If we preserve them,
eggs.
take care of them, love them, then we will have whatever
An optical instrument called binoculars with a lens for
we want in the fields, the fruits will also bear more. If we
each eye, for viewing distant objects. Binoculars are use
clean our environment and stop polluting environment,
to see birds from a very far distance. Some birds eat ber-
the earth will become beautiful and green different kind
ries. Berries are produced by a range of flowering plants.
of diseases will be no more. We must cut down less trees.
Although many are cultivated for human consumption,
Finally we can say that forests give us shelter to numer-
there soft, succulents flesh originally evolved to attack
ous kinds of birds and animals that are very necessary to
animal thereby aid seeds dispersal. When an animal eats
man. We should plant more trees and protect the ran-
a berry, the fruit’s flesh is disgusted; but the seed pass
dom felling of trees. It should be banned; let’s care about
through its body unharmed.
nature and protect trees for the better life of our future
Most of the birds are killed by human with a gun or
generations.
catapult and so on. The flight muscles are well developed and their eyesight is very sharp. The nervous system
Name – Webite-u Chirhah Class : IX (Nine) School – Eastern Mission High School, Chizami Address: NEN Resource centre, Chizami village, Phek District- 797102 Contact: 9436607403
‘Autobiography of a Bird’ I am a female bee humming bird or Zunzuneito a species
the flowers are so tasty. Eating all of these different foods
of humming bird. I am warm-blooded, vertebrate from
I weigh 1.6 g.
the family Trahiliforms. I am also the smallest living bird.
Many people think we are very common but we are
Let me tell you more facts about me.
becoming rare due to habitat loss. A lot of my friend died
I live in the dense forest and woodland edges on the
because they lost their homes. We are tiny little creatures
island of Cuba, with my parents and my sister. I am Blu-
so people do not care much about us. Now we are clas-
ish green with pale grey underside; tips of my tail feath-
sified as near threatened. Please think again about your
ers have white spots. My father is a male so he is smaller
actions when there is still time or you will penitent one
then us the females because male bee humming bird are
day when we become extinct.
smaller than the females. Bee humming bird (females) lay only two eggs at a time. Why? I don’t know. I guess its because we are so small. I have a friend the Rufous Humming bird. My friend and their family has the longest migration of all Humming bird, they migrate 3,000 miles each year to North America. My family we never migrate. My friend, she has told me many things about the beautiful places she saw during migration. I too wish I could see them, she also told me about many heedless predators which sounded scary. You can’t even imagine how scared they might be. But I understand because I too come across that feeling about predators trying to kill us. There are 300 species of humming bird in the world, only 16 migrate each year to North America. I am smaller than a butterfly, my wings beats 80 times per second too fast you may not notice my wings. I love drinking from nectars from flower, I eat insects too but I like nectars more. I visit 1,500 flowers a day so I am a great pollinator. I go for the plant Selandra grandiflora, a vine with large ornamental flowers because the nectars of
Name: Wekhrode Wezah Class: IX School: Sacred Heart Higher Secondary School, Chizami Address: C/o NEN Resource Centre,Chizami village, Phek district, Nagaland- 797102 Contact No. +91- 9436408803
‘Autobiography of a Bird’ I opened my eyes to find myself in an old nest. It was old
I was left alone. I started to feel the bitterness of loneli-
because as you all know, we cuckoos nest in the aban-
ness. I was also shot several times but my creator pro-
doned nests of other birds. One fine morning as I was
tected me from all those shots. Human failed to realize
waiting for my parents to bring food, I crawled up to the
that I remind them of the coming of every spring. They
brim of the nest out of curiosity. I was astonished to see
tried to reward me with bullets and trap me in their traps
the scenic beauty of the place around me. I saw a varieties
in return for my concern for them.
of trees hung with colourful berries. And as my parents
The thick and the green forest is which I grew up has now
came back, I forgot about the food I was waiting for. The
turned into a forest where trees can easily be counted. It
only desire deep within me was to learn the art of flying,
is now difficult for me to find shelter and food. I rarely get
so that i can discover more about the beautiful forest.
time to sing in praises of God and nature. I have to spend
With the burning desire to fly, I jumped out of my loving
my days in alertness. Fear has become the order of the
home. I flapped my tiny wings and to my utter surprise, I
day
found myself fling in the air. That was indeed the happi-
Sometimes I questioned myself as to who is the cause of
est moment of my life.
all these troubles. Are my actions inviting all these suffer-
The next day I flew around with my parents exploring the
ing? Is God pouring out his wrath upon me? But I come
surroundings and I was told that we are in the beautiful
to the realisation that all the pain, suffering and fear are
and peaceful “TAHULU FOREST” of Chizami village.
caused by human beings. My life is uncertain and I may
The place where I grew up was green forest where differ-
be in the hands of the hunters at anytime. But before that
ent kinds of friends were found. Days seemed short as fun
dark moment comes upon me, I wish to make an appeal
and joy was its order. Fruits and berries of different kinds
to all the readers of this piece to kindly understand the
were found in plenty. There was no worry for food. There
miseries of the inhabitants of the forest and thus contrib-
was no fear in my heart. The climate was so soothing and
ute towards making a CHANGE-a change for the better
I was healthy and fresh both physically and mentally.
of all.
With the passage of time I started to experience change.
“GIVE US A CHANCE TO LIVE”
Trees on which I sat and sang started to disappear. Many
of my friends were seen no more. Gunshots have replaced
the sweet songs of mine and my friends. I saw my friends falling down in the bags of the cruel hunters. My loving parents had also fallen prey to the greedy hunters and
Cuckoo Tahulu forest Chizami
NAME: WEWALHI THOPI CLASS – X (TEN) SCHOOL SACRED HEART HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL CHIZAMI, NAGALAND. Address: NEN Resource centre, Chizami village, Phek District- 797102 CONTACT NO: 09612181988 Email: atsholethopi@gmail.com
WHAT PLACE WOULD I LIKE TO VISIT IF I WERE ON MIGRATION There are many beautiful places I would like to visit. There are yellow stone national parks in United States of America, Emas National park in Brazil, the monkverade forest in Costa Rica, Kinabalu national park in malaysia, Congo rainforest, Daintree forest in Australia, Jinharaja forest in Sri Lanka and Amazon forest. Among al thsese beautiful place I would really like to visit Amazon forest because this forest is the largest rain forest in the world and also the forest has the largest diversity of species on earth. The Amazon forest is a part of South America. The Amazon forest is located in the countries of Bolonia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru suricane and Venezuela. The Amazon forest is drained by the Amazon River and its tributaries that drain an area of about 6915000 km or roughly 20 percent of South America mostly of the Amazon basin is covered by the Amazon rain forest, also known as Amazon. With a 5,500,000 sq km area of dense tropical forest, this is the largest rain forest in the world and the mouth of Amazon River is the second longest river in the world. Most of the indigenous plants and animal of Amazon forest are unknown because the forest is very large. The Amazon forests contain thousand of plant species and still some are not discover yet. There are more than 1000 species of Amphibians found in the Amazon forest. Over 90 percent of the Animal species in the Amazon forest are insects with more than 2200 species of fish are found in the Amazon River. Many Reptile species are illegally collected and exported for the international pet trade. About
1500 birds’ species inhabit the Amazon. The climate of the forest is generally hot and humid. The Amazon forest has low water season, and a wet season during which the River adjacent low lying forest. For the indigenous population the Amazon rain forest is important because it is their home and their culture is closely related to the forest, rivers and Fauna. Some of the tribes in the Amazon forest still have not had contact with the outside culture yet. The Amazon rain forest is thickly wooded. The smallest bird in the world also found in this forest which is known as bee hummingbird. Many Migratory birds wait Amazon forest even just twice a year. I would like to visit this place because I want to see the wonderful place in this forest and different species of plants and animals. I also want to know why the Amazon forest has rich natural resources. I would really like to visit wonderful forest because I want to meet the living creatures that I had never seen in my life and I would also like to see the beautiful flowers and tall trees in the forest. I also like to go there and see how the living and non-living interact with each other. I would like to enjoy this beautiful forest. The Amazon forest is a beautiful place where many creatures can live and adapt. If I had a chance to visit this beautiful forest I would stay for two months or more and after I return to my sweet home I would tell to my companions the Amazon forest was indeed a beautiful and wonderful place for the living creatures. Thus if I were on migration I would visit this forest.
Pranav Shankar Kaundinya Grade 8 AksharArbol International School
If I were a bird on migration … If I were a bird on migration … It was a cold day in Russia. I, as usual, was shivering under a thin stemmed and stunted pine. I lived very close to the tree line. It was time for me to leave home and fly away to the South Sea Islands, a paradise of greenery and warmth. Which island we go to differs from bird to bird. I left with a heavy heart, knowing that I was going to miss eating pine nuts and fighting over raspberries during spring. area, Daphabum. We had great views from our fork, of I decided to go past the Himalayas to a land of a thousand
a stream running by. My cousin, a little tyke, pushed me
pleasures and hornbills - Arunachal Pradesh. Most of the
off the nest thrice during dinner. Our old hornbill friends
region, I knew, was covered by forests. I had heard of the
were delighted to see us. We often went to very famous
abundant water supply there. Where should I go? I had a
places like the the Lisu village where people make cane
choice between the Daphla hills and Namdapha. Nam-
furniture. We feasted on bamboo seeds, a treat at these
dapha has protection from bad humans(known as ‘Poach-
places. We then flew to a large river which was a home
ers’ in human language) while Daphla has no such privi-
to many large beautiful water birds.We saw many water
lege. My kin had decided Namdapha over Daphla. I had
dances. That really excited us a lot and we joined them in
never been to Arunachal Pradesh and I was sick of being
the water dance too. Amidst all this beauty, we also saw
in Rajasthan. So I joined them and flew past high and
many humans coming in and out of dusty roads. I soon
dry Tibet and Dali(Yunnan), took a U-turn in Huakaung
realised that we were living in a biosphere reserve.
valley in Kachin(Burma). Known very well for its tigers, I decided never to venture there and continued flying
One day when I woke up, I heard a constant beating of
rather than risk landing. I flew past the Patkai and Naga
drums. I soon asked my hornbill friends about it. They
hills into Namdapha. We entered a lush green and warm
told me that it was the annual tribal festival. I flew to
heaven dotted in one spot with a muddy hot spring. We
the nearby Lisu village along with my family and friends
bathed in the warm mud and exfoliated our feathers. We
and landed slowly to perch on a fence, from where, we
then went for a round of anting and preening from the
saw many of the different tribal dancing and selling all
local hornbill spa. There we stayed in the most premium
sorts of mouth-watering dishes and beautiful cane work.
I waited very patiently for the tribal to move away so that I could get my beak on the fish and rice. An ‘Apatani’ who was selling rice and fish turned his back to his stall. I seized the opportunity and decided to go food-fishing. Without a moment to waste, I hopped from my perch and swooped down to the large bowl and in a jiffy, plunged my beak into it. Stuffing a mouthful, I flew back to the fence on the other side. I proudly displayed my mouthful of food to my mother. Expecting to get a pat on my wings for my brave deed, I was aghast when I instead got a ‘bird-full’ from my mother. Later, when I shared my hunt with my cousins, they praised me for the fantastic find!
Days rolled into weeks and then it was becoming hotter. Suddenly a few weeks later there was a severe rainstorm that lashed the area and we were forced to leave. We were sad to leave that region but we had no choice. We flew down south again. We had an amazing plan. We were flying to Pallikarnai - a marsh. We were flying forever and ever. As we flew over the Andamans, many of my family stopped there. The islands looked like emeralds in an ocean of sapphires. I saw a lovely beach full of red
corals and a bay full of glistening pearls. As I flew further, I spotted a large coconut tree loaded with sweet green coconuts which made me lick my beak. We were almost there when suddenly lo! a giant cloudy mass came from nowhere and swept me away. Alas something green had hit me and everything turned black.
I later woke up in a beach to find a rhythmic note of gongs from a giant decorated stone. I flew over it and saw a giant crowd of humans. They were dancing to the gongs’ rhythm in simmering clothes. I also saw a large lush forest. I spotted a large Sumatran rhinoceros. I soon realised I was in the island of Sumatra. Thinking back, I realised that I had been hit by a huge twig. I also saw a large group of orangutans staring at me with curious expressions. I explained my story to them. They gave me mangosteens and kokums. I put my beak forward to pick the mangosteen, when it slipped out of the orangutan’s hand, falling on my head. Suddenly, the scene dissolved in front of me and I saw my nest’s ceiling. I peeped out. I was still in my home in the Russian pine forests.
It was a dream after all! I got ready for breakfast(raspberries as usual). I soon told of my plan for the “winter holidays” to my family. Everyone agreed because I had the best winter holiday spots on my list. Andaman,Namdapha and Sumatra, here we come!