Climate change and some refugees

The Delhi and NCR region are experiencing climate change first hand. April and May used to be the hottest summer months. In 2008 we had a mild summer. The summer of 2009 seems destined to be the same! The hailstorm in first week of April has brought temperatures down so much, that today, 10th April, Gurgaon feels like a hill station. See the video clip of the hailstorm below.



We also had a surprise visitor(s). Three peafowls inspected our lawn and the neighbourhood for possible roosting points- apparently. They seem to have been displaced by yet another construction coming up in the cleared Aravalii Ranges which surround Gurgaon.

In the photo below, two of them are surveying the neighbourhood from a vantage point.




Below is the photo of the peahen in our backyard.



After going around the house, it seems at home in the frontyard. However, the peafowls did not visit us again; hope they found a better place to call their home.

Tale of a peahen

Tale of a peahen

It is that time of the year when peahens lay their eggs and incubate them for about 29 days before the eggs hatch. The little chicks are timed to come out just as the monsoon arrives in North India.

As if to prove what great adapters they are, the peahens in Delhi’s Lodi Park, finding the Lodi lawns lacking the privacy and security needed for eggs, started looking around for safe perches. The nearest large green space happened to be the India International Center (IIC) Lawns! But here again the lawns are manicured and tended to by the ‘Malis’ all the time. So, where next?


Fly right onto the ledges provided on each floor of IIC for keeping a pot of green ferns.


Lay the eggs one by one and incubate them.

The ledge happened to be next to the dining hall of IIC. But the peahen was lucky. The waiters at the dining hall ensured that the curtains were drawn all the time so that curious diners did not distract the peahen.

The nature group at IIC were informed. Rajesh Bedi ( of Bedi Bros ) installed a close circuit TV in the dining hall so that the activities of the peahen can be monitored (without her knowing about it)

Best of Luck Mrs Peahen!!


Mr.Samar Singh of World Pheasant Association took the opportunity to educate the nature group more about the National bird. A slide presentation on the Blue peafowl by Hemant Misra and a screening of “Sarang the Peacock” by Dr.Susan Sharma was organized to a group of enthusiastic nature group members of IIC, on 27 May 2007.

http://www.wildscapes.net/vcd_sarang.aspx


( Photographs of peahen and eggs by Hemant Misra)

Own an enameled silver peacock, exclusively carved by artisans from Rajasthan!

http://www.wildscapes.net/silverart11.aspx