Novel: AN UNWANTED FLIGHT
CH#13
WHY MIGRATORY HOUBARA BUSTARD ENTERED PAKISTAN VIA KPK BORDER AND STAY AT BALOCHISTAN?
‘Hey, big brown Houbara bustard, you ought to depart for
Balochistan or turn back to Wazirastan to stay and to breed. This is not your
place,’ many water fowls at Bannu wetland kept on suggesting him to leave the
whole day. The wall of uncle goose house was also done in few hours. He sat at
quiet place to wait for crane. The soreness and itching at his wound was infuriating
him. Houbara tried to take off bird ring from its tiny leg but whooped with
pain. The metal bird ring bid was badly fused into its swallowed leg.
‘This wound will heal up early if I continue to any dry
and deserted my place. There is no idea when crane would turn up here or he may
continue to India with his cousin to explore new destination. He’s like this,’
Houbara bustard hardly smiled. ‘This ridiculous long journey from Siberia till
here meeting with hunters, falcons, war, hunger and strenuous over Himalayas,
at Caspian coast, against Kabul and now when we entered Pakistan from KPK
province, prized me a real buddy like you but I’m not really going to tell this
in front of you. I’ll really miss you.’ The night was restless and chilly for
nocturnal and warm blooded Houbara bustard. Early next morning he left for
Balochistan towards south from KPK.
HOUBARA BUSTARDS AT BALOCHISTAN, PAKISTAN
Vivid sun, scattered bushes, spotted almond orchards,
light green maize fields among dry gritty mountains tranquil his pain for while
as he arrived across semi- deserted Baluchistan province. This was the most favorable place for any Houbara to stay and to breed his generation. He was feeling tired
after long flight. He looked a safe place to rest among trees of berries and
fell to sleep.
KILLING OF HOUBARA BUSTARD BY ARAB
‘Tur..tur..turrerr…..,’ the furious noise of firing
filled in the air with terror.
Houbara bustard may slept calm for long and yet had no
plan to get up early but the swift fire clatter all around stopped his heart
beat. He sensed himself stock-still but the world around was not stopped.
Something heavy rattled among the exposed autumn branches and fell down at loam.
Few seconds later, another living buddy turned up to dust mingling it with
blood. They were two Houbara bustards, may be a duo, which got hit by any
hunter and bowed to ground. Male Houbara bustard died at spot but female fought
for its life for about 5 minutes but defeated. Just then two men broke the
berries of small, thorny bushes and found their prey pompously.
‘Oh my…,’ the witness Houbara felt his lips mumbling
after awhile. He hardly peeped from a relative thick stem of berry tree from
height.
ARAB PRINCE AND MINISTERS HUNTING HOUBARA BUSTARD AT BALOCHISTAN
A temporary city with luxurious tent rest houses, an out
of the mark helipad and expensive, fully equipped vehicles at less populated
and underdeveloped deserted province caught his first sight. Prosperous looking, influential personalities
wearing thawb with scarf on their heads were cherishing all around. Many locals
in shalwar qamees were serving them with their prey. Yes, they were absolutely
Arab princes who migrated too from Middle East to chase the Houbara bustards
which are constrained to migrate from colder regions of Siberia and Mongolia to
breed and to sustain their fabrication at warmer winters at Pakistan.
HOUBARA BUSTARD’S MEAT SEEK PLEASURABLE LIFE, A MYTH
The smell of Bar B Q of birds overwhelmed the temporary
town. Food was being served from recognized royal catering services.
also see: HOW MANY HOUBARA BUSTARD KILLED BY ARAB PRINCES AT
BALUCHISTAN IN LAST YEARS?
Houbara bustard’s meat has bizarre supremacy to boost
the energies of anyone and helps to stalk for the pleasurable life. This myth
at Arab world yet has not been proven scientifically but still causes the
brutal hunting and feasting of poor migratory Houbara bustards.
Government of Pakistan issues the permit to Arab princes
and ministers in specified areas to hunt the migratory birds; may be as token
of gratitude to their rich allies. Then high courts and communal campaigners
awake on brutal hunting and this series put on ban for few years. This vicious
circle is still on its way.
‘Chi…chi…ooo..,’ scary mumbling and whooping from
somewhere close grabbed his attention at once. Three baby Houbara bustards were
peeping out of their nest at top branch at an opposite wild berry tree. They
appeared to be hatched just a day ago. Houbara bustard instantly flew up to
them.
‘Your parents are seemed to be just killed by these
hunters.’ He thought of just died two fowl in front of him. He went gloomy.
‘You
must have to wait till dusk then I’ll search for any food for you,’ Houbara
bustard consoled the brood. The stars were shinning and clear on winter sky to
contend the full moon at that night. The artificial lights at temporary town
were creaking mysterious panorama all around. The sound of helicopter and
private jet planes broke the deep silence. The royal guests seemed to be on
their way back. Houbara bastard flew out of its hide out and looked for any
seeds and roots from bushes around. A lot of Houbara bustards also dared to fly
free at departure of hunters. Large and heavy brown bird with black markings on
their wings the Houbara bustards fly towards deserts of Pakistan from Siberia
and Mongolia to get away of harsh
winters. They lay big brown dotted eggs among bushes and trees and give forth
new born in mild winters.
‘We’ll
move forward to Cholistan desert, Punjab tomorrow which is safer,’ many of them
were planning. At his second attempt, he
successfully grabbed two earthworms to feed those orphan little Houbara
bustards. In grateful chirping of those young he closed his eyes from his grumbled
wound whose soreness was mounting with time.
He
became drowsy and rest beside big stone. He was shivering with cold and
temperature.
‘So,
this journey had to end up like this,’ he closed his eyes. He felt his mother
fluttering and twittering around him.
‘Come
here, he’s over here,’ someone approached closer.
‘Oh,
he appeared to be contagion. Use gloves and mask before holding him,’ there was
another familiar voice.
‘Don’t
worry. I’m on it.’ In a while a very sharp pine needle pierced in Houbara
bastard’s body. Someone opened its mouth and poured few drops in it and put him
up to a vehicle.
Houbara
bustard hardly opened his eyes. He was feeling very able-bodied now. ‘Zain and
Yong! They are culprit who ringed my
leg. I left them at Siberia busy with their zoology project when I started off,’
Houbara bustard drowned in surprise.
BIRD RING HELPS TO KNOW ABOUT BIRD'S ROUTES AND LIFE
‘I’m
sorry dear Houbara bustard, you suffered because of us,’ Yong came closer and
cut the metal ring from his leg. He whooped with pain but then felt free of fuss.
He angrily pulled its leg behind.
‘Oh,
don’t get angry, Mr. Vagabond. We were behind you to set you free from this
ring since you started but you didn’t stay at a single place and kept on
drifting to one country to another. By bird ring we were able to locate your
location and physical condition but for detailed examination we require this
ring to be cut off at end. All other birds with rings reached their
destinations in time but you both were quite difficult to locate and now see
your buddy Siberian crane is still missing,’ Zain grinned on Houbara bustard’s
expressions.
‘We’ve
to finish our project about destinations and breeding of migratory birds at our
university only you two were left,’ Yong checked the metal bird ring for final
results. There were numbers and markings on the small ring which were attached
to their GPRS system.
‘Where
may be the Siberian crane? Why can’t I locate her since morning?’ Zain checked
his monitor.
‘A
spy Siberian crane from Pakistan has just been arrested with the help of drones
near Rajasthan border. There was a detective ring with camera on its leg.
Investigations are on go. We’ll keep on providing you with updates,’ there was headline
news on all Indian channels about spy crane on internet.
‘Oh
my… Siberian crane crossed the Pakistani border too and indians have arrested
him by thinking his ordinary bird ring as spy tool,’ Houbara bustard, Zain and
Yong held their heads….
TO BE CONTINUED Link to first & all episodes: An unwanted flight: journey of two migratory birds
2. ACROSS NILE
3. FUTURE EYE
Really want to travel with these fowl guys from start then just click:
read adventurous n time travel stories online for free just by clicking the link below:
2. ACROSS NILE
3. FUTURE EYE