All about birds

Watching birds has become a recent hobby for me, especially in the mornings when they come to feed. There are three kinds of birds who access the garden.

One – the crows – who make a mess out of the area. They usually come alone, at times accompanied by a couple of friends, looking for the junk and putrid things lying around. They fill the air and ears with their cacophony. Generally individualistic in their approach, “me, mine, for my own food” is the end, and any junk can be food too!

 

The second is the small hummingbirds – who come in pairs, go straight to the flowers, and drink the nectar. Making high-pitched chirps as they flit from flower to flower. A beauty to behold, they come and go as and when they like. They come as couples and leave together too. They are focused – only nectar, nothing else do they want.

 

Then there is the community of Munias or family of finches, who come to feed at the bird feeder. They come in ones or twos initially, try the feed, and soon a large number land up – a community of 10 to 15 or so. This is the one I spend most time watching. Beautiful to look at, with a very sharp and high-pitched chirp.

They behave much like we humans do. Initially, they feed alone and then invite their family members to join. Within a few minutes, you can see pushing and shoving, climbing over each other, pecking at each other, even pushing others out to get better access. Though they are communal and come together to feed, it soon becomes a dysfunctional community. Some ignore these fights and wait around, detached from what is happening; some join in the pushing and shoving; others pick up the seed falling from the fighting birds. In the end, somehow, all manage to get to the feeder. One cannot see a leader of the flock; each one seems to be on their own leadership quest, though they are a community.

 

I wonder, is this called “animal instinct” or “bird instinct” by humans?

 

An individualistic one, who is happy with any junk that they can access, living for self and self alone. Or a couple who look for the best available opportunities but do not have anything to do with others around them. Or a community, wanting to help each other, but when they come together, there are the pushers and shovers, the resigned ignorers, and others who are opportunistic. Anarchy as a community, but each one manage to survive somehow?

 

Today in my morning readings, I came across this:

 

“You were all called to travel on the same road and in the same direction, so stay together, both outwardly and inwardly. You have one Master … Father of all, who rules overall, works through all, and is present in all. Everything you are and think and do is permeated with Oneness. But that doesn’t mean you should all look and speak and act the same. Out of the generosity of God, each of us is given his own gift.” … 

"“No prolonged infancies among us, please. We’ll not tolerate babes in the woods, small children who are easy prey for predators”.

 

I wonder how to grow out of this animal instinct or infancy as individuals and as a community and not behave like adults with prolonged infancy? Not caught in the drive for immediate self gratification.

 

Yesterday was Mother Teresa’s death anniversary. And I was reminded of what she said.

 

“It’s not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.”; “A life not lived for others is not a life.”; “I prefer you to make mistakes in kindness than work miracles in unkindness.” And “If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway.”

 

This is the answer – Not in getting but giving, giving out of love and not duty or obligation, live for others, make some mistakes in kindness make others happy and be happy even though others may be jealous!