A Raptor, a Runner and a Ringside Witness !

Shikra?

For the uninitiated, it is a raptor, a small bird of prey. Just 10-12 inches long. Clawed talons. Sharp eyesight. Wide wingspan for its size. Feeds on rodents, squirrels, lizards, small birds and insects in the fields and lakesides. Perches on tree tops or electric poles. Flight is typical flaps-and-glides (that is how I could identify from a distance).

Mongoose

We all know. It is called the Indian Grey Mongoose. Inhabits open forests, scrublands and cultivated fields. Lives in burrows and takes shelter under rocks or bushes. Its prey includes rodents, snakes, birds' eggs and hatchlings, lizards. It is known to fight snakes. In Hindi it is called 'Neola' नेवला .

What is the connection between a shikra and a mongoose?

And that is why this story.

During a recent morning walk on the promenade by the lake in our neighbourhood, I saw a bird glide and swoop down along the path. At the same time a mongoose ran across. It appeared that the bird had spotted the mongoose and wanted to hunt it. That is why it kind of dived. But the mongoose ran for his life into the bushes across the pathway. We in the Navy know that engaging a crossing aerial target is the most difficult. And that is precisely what happened. The crossing relative velocity was too fast for the shikra to maneuver and hunt its prey. I had not carried my camera or cellphone. My memory was the only camera to record this front-row seat of a unique aerial ambush! Following illustration created from my memory.

Mongoose are known to fight its predators like the snakes on ground. They tire out the snakes by acrobatically avoiding  multiple attacks by the snake. Their hair also stand up and act as a shield against the fangs. So why did this mongoose run away?

On returning, a quick AI-search over multiple prompts confirmed and/or revealed the following:

• Both shikra and mongoose inhabit the lakeside in Yapral Secunderabad
• Mongoose do not put up a fight against an aerial attack for fear of being gripped by the crushing talons.
• The mongoose sighted by me and being hunted by shikra was a juvenile. Why?
• The size and colouration of the mongoose that I had sighted. The juvenile is smaller in length with its tail not as bushy.

Shikra and mongoose- it was a ring-side view of an aerial attack by the shikra and a successful defence by the mongoose. Once again, Nature continues to amaze and reward you provided you have the patience to observe. 

We close with the famous "stand and stare" quote which comes from the opening lines of the 1911 poem "Leisure" by Welsh poet W. H. Davies shared below:

"What is this life if, full of care,

We have no time to stand and stare?"

Hope you enjoyed browsing the 'live' encounter sans a picture or a video. But there is no better camera than our brain!

Thanks for browsing. Do leave a comment and stay connected.

   - Harsh-the-Ghumakkad/ Secunderabad/ 28th October 2026

#shikra #mongoose #aerialambush #flapandglide #yaprallake #secunderabad #raptor #predator #birdofprey #talons #wildlife #ghumakkadhb #ghumakkadharsh #WHDavis #standandstare #powerofobservation #deccanbirders #hderabadbirding 

From Wild to Wonderful -- Women Take the Lead

'Chalta hai!' चलता है। 

'Not our job."

"Municipality will clean it."

A half-km long promenade by Yapral lake had been blocked by the wild growth during monsoons. Many visitors and walkers had noticed it. However, most of them reacted in a nonchalant manner as above. Except few women residents of an adjoining enclave who came together to clean up the promenade. These women employed labour and supervised the cleaning of the entire pathway. They also liaised with the horticulture and other departments for periodic upkeep. Sharing a few pictures for the readers to appreciate the 'before' and 'after' scenario.

Another City- Another Effort

We had reported a similar story of successful Marshland Conservation by community volunteers in Chennai. You may click the link below to browse the picture story.

Marshland Conservation by the Residents

Yapral Lake

Yapral lake, primarily an irrigation bund of yesteryears has been badly encroached on all sides. Once a haven for birds both resident (like Common Coots, Spot-billed ducks, Lesser whistling Teals, Little Grebes, Pond Herons, Purple herons, Baya Weavers, Black winged Stilts, Grey Francolins, Greater coucal, Hawk Cuckoo, Glossy ibis and so on) as well as migratory (Northern Shovelers, Warblers etc), it is not a cesspool of sewage. People also throw rubbish in to the lake unmindful of the harm that it does to the water body and associated ecosystem. We had highlighted these issues in many of our earlier posts. Sharing some of the picture stories below:

Dying Trees Shrinking Lakes Sounding a Death knell

Shrinking Urban Lakes - Impending Disaster Another picture story dated Jan-2020. Will the birds survive when their habitat is lost?

In the light of constant destruction of the lake and its habitat over last 20 years, the above effort by the women to restore the promenade and cleaning of the trash around the walkway is truly commendable. We congratulate Mrs Gupta, Mrs Gossain and their team of volunteers from Prakruthik Vihar in Yapral for their dedication and selfless service. May their tribe prosper.

Talking about women, we are reminded of William R Wallace's famous quote, 'The hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world". Women in the above story have proved it so!

Hope you liked the story. If you are aware of a similar volunteering effort to save the environment, please share with us on email hbindia@gmail.com . We would be happy to append it.

Thanks for browsing. We end with a PQ picturesque quote from our archives which says, "Time spent among trees is never time wasted". The picture below show the same promenade around Yapral lake five years ago!

Stay connected and do leave a comment. Few words will suffice to encourage us.

    - Harsh-the-Ghumakkad/ Secunderabad/ 14th Oct 2026

#volunteering #environment #sustainability #pollution #yaprallake #waterbody #birds #birding #Communityservice #womentakethelead #restoration #preservation #ghumakkadharsh #ghumakkadhb