A Nye of Pheasants by Steve Burrows

Author:Steve Burrows
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Point Blank

29

The mangrove forest below Devina Chupul’s smallholding looked as benign as others Damian had seen over the years. Stands of twisted trees tilted their shiny green foliage over the still, shallow water. Beneath them, shoals of tiny fish quicksilvered their way among the exposed root systems, an occasional flash of light or the stirring of silt betraying their presence. But like many of those other mangrove forests, this one held unseen dangers along its muddy shores, Damian knew. Pit vipers, pythons and cobras inhabited these mangroves, and even estuarine crocodiles lurked in the tea-coloured waters. So when the Oriental Pied Hornbills flew into view, Damian was mindful of where he placed his feet as he manoeuvred himself into a better viewing position.

‘You are interested in all birds, I see,’ called Devina Chupul from the top of the steep incline behind him. ‘Not just mine.’

Damian turned his head and smiled. ‘I am. But these are native. I wouldn’t expect to see your birds in the wild out here in Singapore.’

The comment seemed to please the woman and she gave a small smile. ‘I see many birds here in the mangroves: ducks, herons, kingfishers. But you are right, my birds are special. Now you may help me feed them if you wish.’

He scrambled up the steep slope and together they walked around the breeze-block wall that encircled the property. ‘You really want to keep the birds safe, I see,’ said Damian.

‘The wall is to guard them from predators, not people,’ she said simply. ‘The snakes, the civets, even the crocodiles would come to take my birds if they could.’ Damian looked down the long slope behind him to the glittering water. It would be a difficult climb for a croc, but one they would probably have considered worth making with a prize like an unprotected monal on offer.

They entered the enclosure through a wire gate beside the modest stone house and Devina offered him a bucket filled with seed. Although the pens were ramshackle in appearance, they were well constructed. Corrugated sheeting protected the rooves, and the latches on the chicken-wire doors were securely fastened. The birds had been foraging around on the lower reaches of the enclosed hillside when the humans entered, but the anticipated arrival of food stirred them into action and they swiftly made their way up through the scrubby vegetation onto the large area of bare, hard-packed earth in front of the pens. The woman began scattering grains from her bucket onto the ground and Damian followed suit. The birds began feeding immediately, the sunlight catching the plumage of the males as they moved. Damian was almost dazzled by the brilliance and variety of hues on display. ‘Incredible,’ he said. ‘Just unbelievable.’

The woman gave a contented smile. ‘It is strange that someone from Canada would have such an interest in these birds that live so far from your home,’ she said.

‘I saw some in the wild recently, but I didn’t get great looks. When I heard about your facility here, I thought it might be a good chance to see them close up.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.