Most people love a drive through the forest in an open gypsy. While some look for the big prize – an elusive big cat or a wild elephant – others like to take in the birds and the bees (literally, not figuratively). In that, a once-a-year trip to the wild can leave enthusiasts high and dry. The inability to take time off from work more frequently makes that safari seem even more distant.
Enter backyard wildlife.
A chance discovery in my childhood led to my backyard becoming my most favourite getaway for a quick encounter with nature and wildlife.
From that slug moth caterpillar (family Limacodidae) foraging on the Cook's Pine Tree (Araucaria columnaris) in my backyard…
…to the crab that’s made its home right next to mine.
Patience pays. I was lucky to witness an arachnid hunt unfold before my eyes, when a Jumping Spider (Rhene sp) brought down a Tent-web Spider (genus Cyrtophora).
Come winter and I’m invariably woken up by the distinct call of a Coppersmith Barbet (Psilopogon haemacephalus).
And as I go out to the balcony, the Green Bee-eaters (Merops orientalis) are busy doing what they do best. Eat bees.
The monsoon brings with it the snails…
…and the Praying Mantis (who are quite adept at modelling).
Spiders, like the Nursery Web Spider (family Pisauridae) and Oriental Garden Lizards (Calotes versicolor) are permanent residents here.
And on a lucky day, I get to spot the big prize -- a 6-feet-long Indian Rat Snake (Ptyas mucosa).
The magical thing about life is that it grows wherever it finds a conducive setting. Look around and you’ll notice that not just you, even the flora and fauna are adapting to the demands of city life. Nature is therapeutic, especially amid urban clutter, and you’ll walk back calmer and centred.
With inputs (on species identification) by Karthikeyan Srinivasan.
