Regd. Office: Revathi Bhavan, Edathala P O, ALUVA-683561. Reg.No.: ER 18/10 of 2010 Telephone No.: 0484-2837414 Email:cochinnaturalhistorysociety@gmail.com


WELCOME TO THE COCHIN NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY

The Cochin Natural History Society is a non-profit making, non-political charitable institution registered under the Travancore-Cochin Literary, Scientific and Charitable Societies Registration Act, 1955. This is a society of amateur naturalists who live in harmony with nature and seek to protect and to preserve the biodiversity and healthy natural environment. The mandate of the society is to undertake studies and documentation of biodiversity around us and to draw attention to the aesthetic, economic, scientific and conservation aspects.The society also intends to provide a platform to those who are concerned to come together and share, enlarge and correct our knowledge about Nature and its magnificence. Any person, who has a love, interest and commitment towards conservation of our biodiversity and natural history may become a member of the society*.







"You can know the names of a bird in all languages of the world,but when you are finished ,
You will know absolutely nothing whatever about the bird.....
So let`s look at the bird and see what it`s doing --that`s what counts.
I learned very early the difference between knowing the name of something and knowing something."


-Nobel Laureate Richard P Feynman(1918-1988)


Sunday, October 28, 2012

CNHS Chinnar Trip


6th KERALA BIRD RACE



Dear friends,

The sixth Kerala Bird Race will be held on 18th November 2012 in
Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode. Kerala Birder along with  Yuhina Eco-Media  and CNHS is organizing the Bird Race in Kochi,  on 18th November 2012. Kerala Bird Race is a dawn to dusk event where teams of bird-watchers will spend the entire day birding in and  around  each city. There are no pre- determined routes - you can watch birds in multiple locations all within 100km radius of each of the site to see as many  species as you can. The participants will try to record as many species of birds as possible; learn about the finer points of bird-watching from the experts & the experienced, and then later in the evening, all teams will meet at a suitable venue over dinner and an interactive tête-à-tête.

While there are strict rules, there is a fun element to this exercise,which will help stimulate enormous interest in bird-watching as a highly popular hobby. The event will give us a good idea of the nature of this region's birdlife and helped build up support for environment and nature conservation.

Of course, there is also the team spirit and participation that comes into focus here. To ensure that the results are as infallible and in principle as correct as possible, each city has two or three special adjudicators who analyze the results and announce the winners at a special programme held in the evening. The adjudicators are either highly experienced bird-watchers or much-respected senior naturalists or conservationists.

Each Team gets an opportunity to interact with the others and recount their day's experiences. All in all, it is a great end to a day well spent with and for the feather-folk, and for nature.

Last year, we had more than 350 bird-watchers on the field on a single day, many of them fresh into the hobby. A few of the teams came up with whooping tally of 140+ species on a single day. Birdwatchers from other states are encouraged to take it as a chance to do some great birding in Kerala. We regularly have participants from Kanyakumari district joining us at Thiruvananthapuram.

The Grand Plan

Play the race hard - try to see as many species as you can from dawn to dusk before assembling to your chosen site for the evening dinner.Play the race to enjoy and share – each of you can treat it as an opportunity to make one another person interested in birds and share the joy.

Birdwatchers across Kerala (& outside) shall participate in this event - choose a convenient city where you can assemble for the evening of Nov 18th and contact the right coordinator.

Sites could be outside the district or even state.

You are free to make your own team. Each team can be 3 or 4 members;but there should be one good birdwatcher with every team who can identify most of the species around the city. You should name your team with a bird's name - we had several interesting names last time like "Falcons", "Cuckoos", "Flycatchers" etc. Also, make sure you drop in your phone numbers with the coordinators.

If you are a beginner bird-watcher and is not able to find a team, you still can contact the coordinators and they will help you out for finding you a team with a good bird-watcher in it.

This event has many nature conservation organisations from Kerala in the lead - WWF-Kerala, Kottayam Nature Society, Cochin Natural History Society, Malabar Natural History Society, Nature Education Society,Thrissur,Kottayam Nature Society, and several others.

 
Happy Birding,
Vishnu

Whom to Contact (Site Coordinators):


Thiruvananthapuram:
A K Sivakumar (WWF-India)
Phone: 94473 86978
Email wwfklsoATgmail.com / asivakumarATwwfindia.net

Kochi:
Vishnupriyan Kartha (CNHS)
Phone: 94464 37410
Email: cochinnhsATyahoo.com

Kozhikode:
Sathyan Meppayur (MNHS)
Phone: 94472 04182
Email: satyanmpr@gmail.com


Whom to Contact (General)
P.O.Nameer
Phone: +91 94465 73106 (After 23rd Oct)
Email: nameerpo@gmail.com

Praveen J
Phone: +91 94480 39906
Email: paintedstork@gmail.com


PELAGIC Birding Trip off Kochi

The Second Pelagic Birding Trip organized by CNHS is scheduled to flag off from Marine Drive Jetty,Kochi on 04th November 2012.

If you are new to Pelagic Birds here are a few bits of info:-


Definition:
Pelagic Birds are birds that spend a significant portion of their life on the open ocean, rarely venturing to land except to breed. Pelagic birds may be found hundreds or thousands of miles offshore and are powerful fliers that can remain aloft for hours while gliding or soaring. When the birds rest, they do so floating on the water. Pelagic birds typically feed on fish, squid and crustaceans as well as offal from fishing ships or trash dumped into the ocean.There are dozens of pelagic bird species with a great range of sizes and ranges. Types of pelagic birds include shear-waters, albatrosses and petrels.
Some of the Pelagic Birds are:
Persian Shearwater,Flesh-footed Shearwater, Frigate Birds,  Tropic birds and Noodies,Redbilled tropic bird,Pomarine Skua, Arctic (Parasitic) Skua ,Masked Booby, Flesh-footed Shearwater, Bridled Tern, Wedge-tailed Shearwater, Wilson's Storm-Petrel, Sooty Tern, Persian Shearwater, . Swinhoe's Storm Petrel, Jouanin's Petrel,Streaked Shearwater, Red-necked phalarope etc.
Some Pelagic surveys conducted from Kerala and Karnataka coasts:
1. First Pelagic Bird Trip off Kerala- 27th & 28th Sept 2010. (Kannur)
2. Pelagic Trip 28th & 29th May 2011.(Kannur)
3. 3rd 4th April 2011.Kannur& Mulki
4. 31st July 2011.Chavakkad
5. 24-25 Sept. 2011 Kannur coast
6. 15-16 Oct. 2011 west coast-Karnataka
7. 26-02-2012 Kochi
8. 30/09 -01/10 2012 Vizhinjam coast.
The cost of the trip planned on 04th November is expected to be 1200- 1500.This includes the rent of the boat and the cost of food. The trip starts at 07.00 am from Marine Drive Jetty, Kochi and return in the evening.
Please book your slot immediately by calling me/mailing me.
Regards,
Vishnu
9446437410(m)