Fakhta on the verandah

That corner of the verandah has witnessed the Fakhta cycle of life over and over again for years now.

Don’t remember when exactly the Fakhtas first set up their nest in our home but once they did, they really made themselves at home… generations of them! A particular corner of the verandah was their chosen spot, where they built their nest atop the Chameli climber. Eggs were laid, hatched, babies born, learnt to fly and then off they all went – babies, mama and papa. The nest never lay abandoned for too long. A few months later, another Fakhta pair would turn up to start a family. The nest would be refurnished so to speak and off they went again laying eggs, caring for and feeding the babies when they came out etc…

That corner of the verandah has witnessed the Fakhta cycle of life over and over again for years now. The Fakhta’s cooing is one of the usual sounds of nature around our house. If they are not on the Chameli, they can be seen basking in the sun on the boundary wall or perched up on the gate, watching the world go by or else, strolling around on the ground as they feed themselves. The male and female take turns incubating the eggs. Once the babies come out, they grow rapidly in size and within a few days the nest is not large enough to fit one of the parents and two babies at a time. The parents then take up a position on the Madhukamini tree or any other spot nearby from where they keep a watchful eye on the nest and the babies.

The unassuming bird is most at ease around us humans. Walk up gently to them and they will allow you to get closer to them than most birds would. Rarely do they let themselves be scared enough to fly away. They’ll keep an eye on you but stay put as you go about your business, even if that means hovering around them and their nest over an extended period of time. “It’s your home as much as ours”, they seem to be saying, “Let’s all live together in harmony.”