Every one of us is afraid of our dreams not coming true. Sometimes we do not say out our dream loud in the effort of not trying to jinx it. Similarly, birders would also not want to accept that they want to travel, just to see or spot or photograph a particular individu
al. Deep in their heart, they want this bird, probably would not be disappointed if they see that individual and nothing else. Well, I am guilty of it nevertheless.
One such beauty for me is a Striated Heron, well, “was” a Striated Heron. Yes, it is not too uncommon, however, it does not make it less beautiful and still is less common than other members of his family. I had seen this beauty quite a few times and admired it by watching. It never gave me an opportunity to photograph it, as I wanted it. Sometimes the light was less or other time had no camera or it flew right in time to disappoint me. It kept eluding me for more than a couple of years.
I had noticed a particular place on a bank of a river in my hometown Wardha, where this beauty was being seen. Once it was right in front of me, sadly I was without a camera. I told myself may be he wants to see me again. “He will”, I said. I used to be in Delhi and home did not happen very often then. Next time, after a few months we went to the same place prepared. Searched the whole place every possible place. To a birder’s despair, I saw nothing, just other herons, swifts, swallows and Kingfishers. But “Heart wants what it wants”. I thought may be it moved, may be the wrong time, may be the wrong season. May be I forgot a bird has wings like we always do when we try to reach them. Another year passed by probably and the thought of capturing this sneaky-beaut was almost out of the mind.
One fine evening, winter had just started showing its presence, all my birder friends had given up or were too slow to go for another session, I decided to rejuvenate the quest which was left incomplete. I kicked my bike and reminded myself that I never used to go with people for birding. Halfway towards the same place where I came from empty-handed last time, Lord Light started dimming. Well not typically clouds but whatever it was, cloudy or hazy, was covering the sun. I thought, “This is it”, another year will go. I went off the main lane into the service road to find a way back. Suddenly something kicked in, I asked myself “Where is the explorer in you?” I decided though the light was less, I could still enjoy the evening on the bank of the river. Something inside me challenged me which I could not take it up.
Once I reached the river, a spotted owlet greeted me. We exchanged pleasantries and I headed towards the water. Being a weekend there were a lot of human activities and disturbances. I kept hopping from rocks to rocks and went pretty much inside the span. This is not a deep river, water flows through the rocks good enough to step on them to cover some distance. This makes a perfect place for fisher birds. Some hundred and fifty meters inside came a point which I thought was difficult to cross considering the distance between two rocks. This seemed to be the “point of return”. It was pretty risky, as I have not been jumping long distances since childhood. While staring into
the water, my peripheral vision caught a movement, a flight, flight of black gold. The very same moment I knew was it was. I was an adult “Striated Heron” who may have been disturbed by me, flew away and sat on a distant bolder. I did not lose sight of it. I decided to take that plunge, howsoever, long it was and landed on the other side well and safe. I kept myself down to reach him slowly. It was getting darker and had very little time to capture with enough light. I kept hopping from one to another and suddenly passed another Striated Heron and sat right where I had started from. Here I changed my course and went back for the second heron which had better light on him.
Well, once you sight something like this, getting closer it is an art. Especially, herons are unpredictable and most of them when take-off alert other birds too. Not this one though. Slowly, crept my way through to reach as close as twenty feet. We know herons, how patient they are when they are fishing and this dude was in the mood for some evening snack. It gave such nice pictures and turned out to be a Juvenile, which is even more beautiful than the adult. I was also lucky enough to get a “caught in act” video while catching and gulping a fish.
What a wonderful day and a satisfactory result. Every time this one particular friend ditches me and I go alone, I come up with something so catchy he regrets silently, not coming with me. I guess I get it coz I am alone not with too many people.
wow!!