Devendra Mewari - Sector-7 , Dwarka Sector 7 Dwarka, Raj Nagar New Delhi Delhi

Story of Gaura-Gauri

Gaura-Gauri, as named by my wife Laxmi, are a pair of sparrows. They are busy these days in feeding their chirping chicks behind the cozy corner of cartons stacked above the air conditioner in my balcony. They keep an eye on us and go to collect feed one at a time. Gaura-Gauri came here in late February and occupied this secluded and safe corner only after a fierce fighting with another male sparrow on 13 March, 2012. Chirping loudly the males fought bravely and the intruder male was badly wounded. My wife immediately rescued the injured male and put drops of water in his open beak. But the life of the brave warrior could not be saved. A few onlooker sparrows left the site after the fight was over.
Gaura had won the battle and with Gauri occupied the corner. They both painstakingly built their nest, laid eggs and guarded the area.
Now chicks are growing fast and we know soon they will be taken to their first flight. We are waiting for the day. In 2007, the chicks took first flight on 28 May. In 2008, two pairs came and built separate nests. Chicks of a pair took first flight on 8 April. On 24 July the pair started building a new nest.
We have been observing sparrows since we came to our flat in 2003. They are in good number in our locality and with increasing greenery all around their number has also increased. I have observed flocks of sparrows in the adjoining two parks. Every morning a few of them come in our balcony and chirp loudly to awake us. Although, there are 3-4 mobile towers at a distance of about half a kilometer from our colony, still sparrows cheer up our life by their sweet chirp every morning. We hear their collective loud chirping notes near the leafy trees and bushes around the society in the evening.

Devendra Mewari