From Ajmer, Rajasthan
Brown Rock Chat is calling loudly
March 2024
A six-year-old daughter (Aayushee) called her father, excited: “Baba, I saw a tiny bird eating big stones!”
Father (Sujit), puzzled: “Small bird eating big stones? That sounds odd. Watch carefully and tell me more.”
By evening, she rang again, bubbling with excitement:
Daughter: “It’s like a treasure hunt! A slender brown bird with a small beak is carrying a pebble into the wooden box inside the electric board.”
Father (smiling): “Ah, that must be a Brown Rock Chat. If you open the door, they will scold you. Let’s respect their space, use the other door.”
My daughter was surprised to see pebbles and gravel inside the wooden box, carefully placed by the Rock Chat to build its nest
Early April 2024
Daughter (excitedly): “Baba! The bird is bringing insects nonstop. I peeked inside, and there were four tiny chicks!”
Father (gentle): “Wonderful! Observe from inside the house. You’ll see them grow day by day.” Soon, she reported that moths, butterflies, and worms had been delivered. Then came another frantic call:
Daughter: “Two chicks fell down and vanished!”
Father: “Stay calm. Search nearby.”
By evening, she laughed: “They’re hopping in the backyard plants, playing hide-and-seek!”
Parent Rockchat carrying insects to feed chicks.
Mid-April 2024
Daughter (worried): “Baba, only three chicks are flying. Where’s the fourth?”
Father (serious): “Did you notice anything unusual?”
She recalled a prowling cat. Together, they accepted that one chick may have been lost. By the third week, the fledglings had flown away.
Daughter (sad): “The house feels empty without their chatter.”
Father: “Don’t remove the pebbles or gravel. They may return.”
Young Rockchat chicks hopping and playing in the backyard
May 2024 – Surprise Return
Daughter (delighted with a surprise): “Baba! The pair is back, making noise at the box. I peeked, four small bluish eggs!”
Father: “That’s called double-clutching. You’re witnessing nature’s rhythm.”
2025 & 2026 – A Tradition Begins
March and May 2025 brought repeat performances. By April 2, 2026, she (now a nine-year-old) called again:
Daughter: “Baba! Four chicks jumped out, it’s the fifth cycle!”
Father (laughing): “Our wooden box has become a Rock Chat factory!”
Epilogue
What began as a puzzled observation turned into a shared journey, father guiding, daughter discovering. Each cycle of the Rock Chat became a chapter in their bond, stitched together with calls, laughter, worry, and wonder. The wooden box of the electric board transformed into a living classroom, where nature taught patience, resilience, and joy.