One lazy afternoon

 One particular afternoon . I sat near the trunk of an ancient peepul . The tree was wont to shake its leaves after every half  a minute or so , in a prolonged shivery , hissy way . All the new leaves shone in the sun , creating a blingy effect .

Like an aged Diva wearing her sequinned night gown , bought half a century ago , still shiny and very intimidating .

Two bulbuls flew over to a neighbouring , younger and shorter tree. They discussed the inappropriateness of Peepuls behaviour . The Peepul couldn't care less, and shook its head in mirth , rustling all over , glinting mischievously. 

The bulbuls flew further away in alarm .

 The branches were gnarled and large , with enormous holes , having hosted generations of squirrels , hoopoes and what not . It was a citadel , with a mammoth trunk . A grand old vizier , a city that has seen it all. 

A family of parrots roosted unseen , but raucous. Unseen because their green merged with the green of the fresh autumn foliage . 

Just like the small butterfly that landed on the brown shoot of a floor creeper and vanished instantly . The pale undersides of its folded wings merging seamlessly with the stem . It was seen only when it deigned to move , unfolding its wings and revealing wings of  brilliant  dark brown with pale yellow spots . Then it landed, " namaste-d" again and disappeared. A merry hide and seek. 

A robin was building a nest in the safe contour of a window .Between the AC box and the boarded up window . It picked twigs and pecked for insects/ seeds , at the rate of thousand pecks per minute. It rushed  over , in alarm , towards me , and inspected me , an intruder , from a safe distance . Satisfied with my slothful appearance and non-movement , she retreated back to her business. Must have dismissed me as some quirk of nature .

I shut my eyes against the warmth of winter afternoon sun . And instantly , my world was peopled with squeaks , shrieks , whistles , chirpings , twitterings and warblings . There were thousands of birds , up in the tree , invisible , but audible to me .For a fraction of a moment , no human sound could be heard . Then , a trill of a distant telephone added to the medley and I opened my eyes . 

It was a revelation, of how populated the planet is , despite and inspite of us , conceited human beings . How busy and noisy , even without us .