Novel: AN UNWANTED FLIGHT
CH #6
Landing on landlocked Caspian sea
…..At last those two roving buddies, Siberian Crane and Houbara bustard succeed to reach at landlocked
Caspian coast
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| caspian sea is landlocked by 5 countries |
to spend winter across artistic Iran; a country which hosts thousands of species of
birds at its wetlands and at its deserts every winter from all around the
world. The poets, painters even the common man turned to an out of this world
artist after grazing at these astounding fowl panorama all around. Houbara
bastard and crane felt relaxed after looking at their mates feeding, spattering
and gulping all around the Caspian sea coast. Flocks of cranes, Pelicans,
greater Flamingos, Egrets, Grebes, Podicipedidae, Charadriidae, Mallards, Gull Lerida,
herons and many more species were looking like floating lotus flowers from
height on Caspian’s mystifying sea water which come into action as freshwater
to catch the attention of these birds. The vivid sky, sandy shore line, raucous
waves and irresistible mammoth rocks at Caspian seemed surrendered in front of
these bayou fowls. There was festivity among birds after reaching at their
breeding ad nourishing habitat at winter after a long, tiring journey.
2. ACROSS NILE
3. FUTURE EYE
‘Iran is at the
center of many flyways used by birds for travelling all around the world. Many
birds passed their winters over here but few hang about here for a while to enthuse
forward,’ Houbara gazed all around to look for any flocks of black-night heron.
‘How we’re going
to find heron’s mother along this 500 km horseshoe like shore line roofed with
thousands of birds? It’s just looking like to find a needle from haystack. Even
we can’t announce it on T.V. or newspaper “A MISSING HERON” like humans,’ crane
held its head after getting to a situation.
‘Do you have an idea; which side of this shore line your
family stayed last year?’ Houbara turned to panicky heron.
‘I was too young last year. I don’t…,’
‘Let’s start from this side. Hey Mr. and Mrs. Flamingo, sorry
to disturb your feast but we’re looking for the family of this noisy
black-night crowned heron. Can you help us?’ Siberian Crane flew above the
couple at marshes near the coast.
The male flamingo
twisted his long neck and splash marsh on them by his stick like long legs.
‘It’ll be better for you to walk off,’
‘Wait, a big flock of black-night herons stayed 200 km
north from shore line, you can check over there.’ Female flamingo was munificent
to provide them a clue.
‘200km north…,’ the three of them flew hurried.
‘Few of us moved west among rifts in rocks to find stable
habitat. Her mother is also with them…,’ the chief heron informed them.
‘Towards west among rocks…,’
‘Few black-night herons have moved back to shore line.
Her mother may also with them.’
‘I’m sorry but your mother proved to be vagabond, dude,’
crane was irritated now.
‘Ah a wetland prêt, a crane and a semi deserted fowl, a
Houbara bastard are roaming here and there as buddies taking a
little heron as their baby, isn’t it strange?’ a flock of Mallards mocked them
by passing above relatively unruffled place at sea.
‘I think the Houbara bustard has been thrown out of its
place,’ one of them toned high.
The slightly wintry and carroty sun had sunk in the
Caspian’s mysterious clammy stream which tang like salty sea water but hosts
like generous fresh water lakes. Fishermen,
tourists or any human activity were slowing down across beach but it was
bountiful time to cherish without stinting for most of nocturnal fowls. Houbara
and Siberian crane looked for a peaceful place at higher peak of Elburz
mountain range. The waves were hitting, pushing and threatening the rocks to
break the barriers of landlocked sea. Little heron was sleeping hiding its head
among its wings. They looked high and low for little heron’s mother for days
but it was just like whirling here and there without any upshot.
‘Sometimes things don’t work for our side. It looks that
we’re also landlocked like this Caspian. We started for China but reached Iran
and now…,’ crane tried to smile.
‘Umm…we’re actually mountain locked,’ Houbara sighed.
‘The snow must be started at Himalayas, it’s better to
spend our winter over here and wait for the spring if we really want to see our
families again at Siberia. I think I reached my destination but it’s now your
turn to move forward to Tehran my friend,’ crane continued. Houbara couldn’t understand
that crane was he consoling himself or to Houbara.
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| HOUBARA BUSTARD AT IRAN |
‘Already everyone is astonished at the friendship of a
wetland and semi deserted fowl. Houbara, you should leave now. This is not your
place. I’ll look after heron and keep on searching her mother. You better leave
to Dast e Lut or Dasht e Kavir near Tehran to spend your winters,’ crane flew
a little higher.
‘I’ll not leave until heron’s mother..,’
‘Just think Houbara,
how Zain and Yong would be describing your stay at Caspian while monitoring us
through these rings,’ crane pointed towards its metal rings around their thin
legs which were glowing at dark night.
‘I don’t care about humans and their stories but these
rings makes me worried about your silly innocence against humans. I’ll pass my
winter around somewhere in forest along Caspian. Thanks for your concern,’ Houbara
told him his decision.
‘A wetland prêt and a semi deserted fowl…are you the guys
carrying black-night heron?’ just then the very beautiful crowned black-night
heron approached them.
‘She’s my baby,’ she looked around and cuddled the
resting little heron.
‘Thank you so much. I just thought I lost her,’ she flew
closer to them.
‘If you’re without your families then you can join our
herd,’ she offered them like any queen.
‘No thanks. We’ll take care by our own and you little
creep doesn’t forget us. We’re here just because of you,’ Houbara and crane
embraced little heron. They sat quiet almost all night over that rock after
saying farewell to little heron.
‘Take care and now turn back to coast,’ Houbara twirled
to crane when crane flew far to wave Houbara flying towards dast e lut near Tehran
with other birds.
‘You too. We don’t have mobiles like humans otherwise I
whatsapp you. You know birds can keep in touch through quaking sounds on these
air waves like mobiles do for humans,’ crane was really gloomy.
‘Get out of human’s fantasy, dude. Hope to see you soon,’
Houbara flew towards left.
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| FLOCK OF MIGRATORY BIRDS OVER CASPIAN SEA IRAN |
Crane waved through its wings until Houbara disappeared
from its eyes and turned back.
‘What’s this?’ crane felt him stuck at very thin net
stretched long at that Caspian coast.
‘Oh yes, it’s my lucky day today. This thin net is brutal
for birds but really compliant for us. A fat Siberian crane….it’ll definitely
cost high at market,’ a hunter pulled the net behind the bushes….
TO BE CONTINUED
TO BE CONTINUED
Really want to travel with these fowl guys from start then just click:
EP1: BORN EXPATS: JOURNEY OF TWO MIGRATORY BIRDS
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2. ACROSS NILE
3. FUTURE EYE