Toshi, a scooty taxi driver, had an extraordinary encounter on Saturday, 27 January, when he spotted two hornbill birds perched on a treetop near the entry gate of Mokokchung Village, on the way to Queen Mary Higher Secondary School.
The sighting, occurring around 4 o’clock in the afternoon, was a rare occurrence for the region, leaving Toshi astonished. “Hornbill birds are usually not seen in our area. I have seen them fly over the sky at times, perhaps during their migration, but this was the first time I have seen hornbills perched on a tree,” Toshi remarked.
Recalling the moment, Toshi described how he spotted the birds while parking his taxi at the designated taxi parking site in Mokokchung town. Determined to capture the rare sight, he swiftly mounted his scooty and followed the majestic birds until he found them perched on a large tree near the school.
“It was an exciting experience seeing the birds,” Toshi exclaimed, expressing his admiration for the rare avian visitors. He emphasized the importance of preserving such treasures, stating, “Even if there is a hunting season and I had a gun, I would never shoot such a rare bird. We have already lost all our forest cover in order to host them. So, we should preserve them.”