Owl! Owl! Where Are You?

“Sir, I told you there are Owls in this school campus,” excited a grade 5 student after spotting a spotted owlet standing idle on one of the branches of badam tree just outside the school campus.

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We were doing Campus Bird Count in one of the government schools in Puducherry with primary kids.

Initially, there was a discussion within the classroom about the birds they are familiar with and where they have seen them. Students were very enthusiastic and sharing something like this,

“I have seen many parrots on the tree.”

“I saw peacocks on the farm”

“Crows are everywhere”

“I saw pigeons on the electric cable”

“I saw owls in the school”

“Owls?” I was surprised and checked with the teacher.

“Even I have not seen it myself but they used to tell that there are owls here within the campus,” the teacher shrugged.

“Don’t worry sir, I will show it to you. There are a lot of owls here,” the student interrupted

“Sure. How big is it?” I tried to picture the type of species.

“It is small sir but is very beautiful,” his eyes glittered.

“Sir, he used to tell this all the time but it's not true,” interrupted the other guys.

A few in the class think that it is a myth but the other group is very sure about the bird because they claim to have seen it. One was mentioning that the elder guys in the school used to chase away the bird as they consider it as bad omen or ghosts. Most of the time they used to spot the bird during the school assembly.

As we were contemplating this owl in the class, a wasp entered the classroom and was struggling to find a way out. It came close to me and I tried to push it away by waving my hand. Immediately, there was a ruckus in the classroom.

One girl shouted, “Sir, don’t hurt him.”

Another one said, “Sir, stay still and don’t disturb him. It will find a way out”

“Sir, move aside and leave him,” exclaimed another

I also saw two guys running towards the wall and switching off the fan. And in a few seconds, the wasp went out.

It all happened in a minute and I was absolutely stunned. Trust me, it was quite a scene. I turned around to see the teacher, who looked happy and calm.

Maybe she is familiar with such instances. Or maybe she is one who is responsible for this, I wondered.

We hit the ground to carry on with our Campus Bird Count. Students were scattered around the ground spotting and counting birds. It was noon so there wasn’t much of the diversity among the birds, instead, it was all crow. Yet students were hopping from place to place counting them.

“They enjoy outdoor activities more than anything,” said the teacher after watching her elated kids.

“Sir, there is something moving on the branches,” interrupted a little girl.

I took a closer look with my binoculars. It looked tiny, flitting from across branches on top of the raintree.

“There it is,” the little girl directed her friends gather around me, pointing the branches. It is neither me nor the bird but the binocular that engrossed them. They were all waiting for their turn to look through that fancy and attractive binoculars, which they have not seen anywhere else before.

“It looks like a warbler but not sure,” I told them still beholding the binocular.

When I looked down, I saw a group of kids just swarming around me eyeing on the binocular. Their glittering eyes looked hungry for a new adventure, which by now is viewing their own school campus through this binocular.

In a flash, I saw 20 different arms wanting the binocular. Watching me helpless and confused, the teacher stepped in and came for support, “Alright, one at a time.”

She effortlessly managed the kids and made them use it one by one without any conflict.

Meanwhile, there was another group near the wall, where some of the boys tried peeping out of the hole.

I went close and heard them whispering, there is something very still on the branch.

Look, it’s there!

Is it a doll or an actual bird?

Hey look, it’s rotating its head. Oh my God, Owl!

I tried getting in between them for stealing a view, but it wasn’t that easy. They were incredibly strong or maybe another way around.

“Its visible from here sir,” screamed another boy. I turned around to see him standing alone yards away from the wall. The ground was slightly elevated there and can get a better view. And of course, there is a binocular.

Yeah, right!

As I was rushing there, I saw a spotted owlet landing on top of a dead tree. The branch was hollow and so it went in before I could get a closer look. It really was devastating.

I left the spot for nothing, I started hitting myself. Yet the boys looked glued to the spot near the walls and so did the one who called me.

The one on the branches were still there.

“It is spotted owlet,” I confirmed after looking through binocular. It was standing there motionless; small, dark ash in color with numerous visible dots all around the body. Its eyes occupied most of the space in its head and looked adorable.

“I don’t see why a bird as beautiful as this is compared with the evil spirit.” wondered the teacher.

And then it screamed, loud and harsh. Very strong gurgling

Everyone stood rooted to the spot as it came from nowhere and the teacher looked at me with a mystified expression and said, “Now I do.”