Stopping by the woods on a Saturday morning

There is magic in the spring air, one often gets to hear. But, to feel the real charm of this magic, that no written or spoken words can ever describe, one has to dedicate a day out in the woods, in the arms of nature. When you step in the woods and enter the realm of nature, you lose all your memory of commonplace life of concrete jungle and get absorbed in the life of woods that encloses you from all the sides. And, life of woods is not commonplace at all – it is alive, buzzing and budding with many mysteries, surprises and of course, magic. But, this magic isn’t superficial like we read in books or watch in movies. This magic lies in the simple pleasure of nature which, at a glance, may look mundane but if you care to be a part of it – and it’s not difficult to do so – you will become a comrade to share all the secrets of this realm that it hides from the ignorant mass. And, of all the times you can choose to reach out to this world, morning is most preferable because of a simple reason that it is the time when the sleeping land rises, rejuvenated to perform its magic more powerful than any other time of the day. Thus, with all these thoughts in my mind, I decided to take a round to the woods to feel the spring magic that I have so often heard about but never experienced. However, even after experiencing this magic I’m going to record my experience of birds in spring only (undoubtedly, though, there were uncountable things that deserve to be recorded). Well, as I started to get in the nature’s realm deeper and deeper, the magic slowly began…

The surrounding of the woods was covered with a thin veil of mist and as the sun had hardly peeped out, the atmosphere remained very cool and refreshing. The woods are usually peaceful with hushed voices of wind and whisper of leaves only. However, one can’t expect peace in the woods at the time of dawn when dawn chorus begins. I could hear a thousand blended notes of birds echoing all around. It was no less than a commotion with everyone eager to voice their opinion, and yet, amid all the chirps and chirrups, it was very soothing to mind.  As I strolled about feeling awaken and refreshed, a sweet tune reached my ears. I stopped and looked around to find its source and there it was: a solitary Oriental Magpie-Robin perching at the top of a blooming mango tree, with its distinct black and white features in the foreground and light blue sky as background. While it continued to sing with its notes still pleasing me, I looked in front of me at a House Crow shuffling in the branches of a tree that was covered with a rush of new, bright green baby leaves. Now, I must admit that crows are so ordinary that they are hardly ever noticed, let alone being admired, but when you see a jet black crow sitting over such a refreshing-coloured tree that the contrast grasps you hard demanding admiration and you just can’t escape without uttering ‘beautiful’. As I stood there enchanted, a huge flock of Common Pigeon circled together above the trees creating a spectacular show, or maybe it was their way of morning exercise? I can’t be sure of that, but it was admirable all the same. I looked around, and around, feeling a tingling pleasure while noticing the veil of mist lifting up as the sun continued to rise up slowly revealing more of this world. Somewhere out there, an Oriental White-eye whistled with happiness in its note, a pair Red-vented Bulbul flitted around in the tree beside me and Common Swifts soared in the air with freedom. Notice how I managed to see only ‘common’ birds that we see around almost every day and yet how they can conjure up magic so finely to enrapture us, if only we care to stand and stare.

After a little passage of time, the sun finally rose out of the horizon completely lighting up the world, turning the atmosphere from cool to warm. The birds at long last set out for their bird works as the commotion slowly subsided to the usual voices of the woods. Seeing that the nature has awoken completely and settled down to work, I traced my steps back and decided to settle down to work myself, once I get home. But, at that moment, my heart was filled with warmth, jumping with joy… I had experienced the magic of spring in the most common elements of nature.