Tuk-tuk-tuk-tuk! “What is that sound?” asked Taran. The hills were quiet except for the crunch of leaves under their feet. So, the knocking sound in the air was loud and clear.
“That is the Himalayan woodpecker making that noise up in the trees!” smiled the guide. Taran immediately pulled out his binoculars to try to spot the bird.
Grandfather’s gift
They had been dangling on his neck since they arrived for the walking holiday in Binsar, Uttarakhand. The strap was frayed at the edges and his parents had told him to be careful. It was a gift from his grandfather. Over 50 years old, it had been made in the erstwhile USSR. It was Taran’s prized possession. Though the latest models were lighter around the neck, he liked its sturdiness; it made him feel like his thatha was always near him.
But despite all his efforts, he couldn’t spot the bird. “You can only hear them. They are high up in the cedar trees busy going about their business,” smiled the guide. “I have done a bird-watching course.” He shyly pulled out a weathered book from his backpack. “This is the best one I have read: The Birds of the North by Richard Grimmett and Tim Inskipp. You can keep it till the end of the trip.”
Taran was elated. He had also been given a little handbook by the travel organisers mapping the walking trail of about 50 km, the peaks of the Himalayas that one could see, and the flora and fauna of the region.
“Can I tick the Himalayan woodpecker in my book? I haven’t seen it, but I can recognise the sound,” he grinned.
The guide scratched his head unsure how to answer that. “Technically, one needs to spot it. I am sure very soon.”
A final spotting
During the 10km walking trail of the day — till they reached Dalar village, their halt for the night — Taran and his family saw a variety of birds but not the elusive woodpecker. Taran was happy to tick off beautiful small birds like the Himalayan bulbul, scarlet minivet, black-headed jay and russet sparrow in the handbook.
He also saw pine cones scattered everywhere and even an Indian porcupine’s needle but was advised not to collect anything such as leaves, pebbles and cones.
The air was woody and lovely. It had been a fantastic day. As Taran settled down for the evening with a cup of tea and the book lent by the guide, he heard the tuk-tuk-tuk-tuk sound again. He looked up just in time to see a bird shoot across the sky. He smiled, looked at his parents and ticked Himalayan woodpecker in his handbook.
Published - February 11, 2025 03:07 pm IST
