Help birds and strays quench their thirst this summer
The heat this summer saps your energy. The first thing you do as soon as you walk in to your home is reach out for that tall, cold glass of water. Have you ever thought of the birds that fly around or the stray animals and wonder what they do for water in this harsh season?
Sarah and her daughter Rahel Nathan, are avid bird lovers and have put out a water bowl in their garden. “We decided to keep water and food for the birds after reading about Edwin Joseph, the sparrow man of Bangalore. I like the idea of being surrounded by birds and their chirps. So far we have had quite a few happy visitors like the oriental magpie robin, a pair of red vented bulbuls and even a squirrel,” says Sarah.
Rahel, who managed to photograph some of her visitors, says, “Some birds are timid and fly away at the slightest sound but the oriental magpie robin is trusting, so it is easy to take his picture. I have named one bird Toby. He comes every morning around nine.”
SanjanaGovindan who runs the Water Bowl Project gives out bowls during this season to volunteers who are committed to the cause of quenching the thirst of urban strays. “Parks and gardens which were once sources of shelter and water are few and far between today. Places where animals could traditionally find water are also fast disappearing,” says Sanjana. With crowd funding she was able to collect Rs. 15,000 which helped her purchase shallow terracotta plates that can be filled with water. “The plates are shallow but come with a nice rim for the birds to perch on. I work along with SashiBagchi who runs Matti and makes traditional clay kiln fired bowls.”
“Considering how hot Bengaluru has become over time, those of us willing to commit to keeping the bowls clean and refilling them twice a day should get in touch and volunteer. Just take pictures of the visitors you get to the bowls and load them on your FB page. That should be a great incentive for many more to become volunteers,” adds Sanjana.
“We have to be committed to the cause, as once the birds or the animals know of a spot they can come to for water, they will keep coming back and it will be disturbing for them if it is stopped.”
