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OWL STORY
To this day, I vividly remember that December afternoon. Test exams for our 10th boards had just finished and i desperately needed a break. And luckily, i chanced upon an article in the newspaper.It was on the places around Kolkata one could visit for a quick get-away and in them was the Chintamani Kar Bird Sanctuary. Gladly,my parents agreed and by 12noon,we were standing at the gates of the Sanctuary that spans over a mere 17 acres.
For the next 2 hour as we walked around , we just came across commoners like babblers and treepies. But what followed next has affected my life in a multitude of ways. On the way to the exit,one of the guards asked us to follow him to nearby mango tree and pointed up to a branch high up. As my inexperienced eyes scanned through the foliage, my gaze fell on a big bird perched on the branches.Staring down at me with it’s huge yellow eyes was a Brown Fish Owl, high up in the canopy As i stood in awe and thrill, i felt an inexplicable bond with the bird and Nature in all it’s grandeur.
Brown Fish Owl
Taken with my trusted Nikon Coolpix
Being someone for whom wildlife and Nature had been only constricted to a few shows through the screen of television, had this moment not happened, i do not think i’d have the love and respect for Nature i have at this present day.
Over the past year and more of observing birds , i have had multiple chances of watching owls, both up close and afar.. While the spotted owlets have been my main subject of observing and photographs, i hope i do get a chance to see all the members of the species in India.
The joy of understanding Nature and birds is a joy like no other. The moments when you can listen to the calls and understand there are owls nearby, understanding their movements,anticipating their actions ,every feeling seems rewarding inspite of the often extensive and rigorous times spent in the field.
The love i have for owls is like no other and i can spend hours at end watching their antics, and people who know me well know how much obsessed i am with owls. Also Upayan deserves the credit of guiding me to my first sighting of spotted owlets.
And though i visited CKBS later on, i did not find the Fish Owl, i really hope i do next time because it deserves a THANK YOU.
PS: If you want any of the images for your wallpaper,ping me up. <3
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