Call for help

 Yesterday, a strange thing happened . 

On the routine walk to the garden , a small dark brown bird , who I have recently identified as Indian Robin , flew in my path and fluttered in front of me , inches from my face .I could almost feel the breeze from the fanning of its tiny wings .  While doing so , She (or he , I honestly have no way of knowing ) kept up a high pitched babble , trying to be as stationary (or eye-catching ) as possible . I found it very odd . 

Then I noticed it . A large tabby cat lurked in the bushes , just a feet from me . Then It struck me . The bird wanted me to get rid of the cat.After I had shooed the cat , the bird hopped back to its companions , and started pecking , in peace.

It was one of those moments , when you feel that the universe is connecting with you . Birds conversing with you ?  How did she know I wasn't a predator myself ? I could have had for a snack , I know a lot of people who do .  

I have seen this earlier too. In our last abode, a large pile of deadwood often attracted snakes . Mynahs would be practically be hoarse , twittering (or shouting?) hysterically . The moment you stepped out , with a danda in hand , they would quieten down , and even hop close to the branches where the offending reptile would be concealed , to make detection easier for me . 

A week ago , we had  evening showers , reducing the diurnal temperature , drastically. During my walk , I noticed a group of garden babblers , sitting in a tight line on a single branch , huddling against each other , their yellow beaks and grey tails laid out neatly , in one line. It seemed that they had skewered themselves on this branch . In pin-drop silence ( very difficult for babblers to achieve , as they are , you know, "babblers"), they sat in this tight , (heart) warming fashion .  

Francolins (teetars) being almost flightless , like hens , keep up their idiotic hoarse cry , when they spot a kite/ eagle soaring in the sky above . Instead of running for cover , they will scream themselves hoarse , while , literally , running in circles , in the open , their vulnerable kids tailing after them, squealing themselves . Thereby , making them sitting ducks (or teetars) for swooping predators. This makes me conclude that lack of intelligence is a feature not confined only to humans.