Natural splendour, real musics, wines, wordpower
Old Delhi is assuredly one of the world’s busiest, noisiest and most crowded urban places.
All that notwithstanding, some people choose to sleep on its footpaths and doorsteps…or they simply have no other readily-available resting-place.
Tourists are highly likely to be overwhelmed – or highly stimulated – by the sheer volume (in more than one sense) of human activity in Old Delhi.
However, at least some local residents appear to be utterly at ease, relaxed and unhurried.
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Q: who usually rules the skies over the Indian subcontinent’s megacities?
A: Milvus migrans – black kites.
One of the world’s most abundant raptor species (possibly, the most abundant) has proved very adept at taking advantage of the “rubbish” discarded by urban humans.
If one is almost anywhere within a big Indian city, one needs no bird-watching expertise to see black kites; simply look up, and there they are!
”Holy” places are no exception…
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Moghul Emperor Shah Jahan commissioned what is still Delhi’s greatest mosque.
He was also responsible for Agra’s Taj Mahal.
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In the context of the Indian subcontinent’s human history, what we now call “Old Delhi” is not very old.
The original walled city was meticulously planned; its foundation stone was laid in 1639.
Then named Shahjahanabad, it was the result of Emperor Shah Jahan’s decision to shift the Mughal Empire’s capital city, from Agra.
What is still Old Delhi’s most imposing structure was built between 1650 and 1656; at that time Jama Masjid was the subcontinent’s largest mosque.
In 2024 it remains one of India’s largest mosques – probably, its second biggest.
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Freshly killed, then crunched: European carp are devoured with great gusto by long-nosed fur seals.
Sans table, sans table manners…
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Of course, as we made our return passage through the Goolwa Barrage lock, long-nosed fur seals were again present.
Both the youngster in the above photo and the young adult pictured below were in “postprandial” mode.
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As we approached the Goolwa Barrage, I noticed an unlucky cormorant.
Courtesy of a careless human, the pictured bird probably had a very short future.
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Whilst much the huger number of pelicans favoured the Coorong’s north lagoon on 13 March 2024, a handful of them preferred to fish in and around the Murray’s mouth.
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On the move: one black swan, three cormorants.
Unmoved: one egret.
Wise advice, in some circumstances: see/hear this post’s wonderful musical bonus!
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Variously, resolutely calm or alarmed: many cormorants.
Cucumber-cool: one silver gull, one pelican.
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