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- 27^th & 28^th Sept 2010. (Kannur)

2. Pelagic Trip 28^th & 29^th May 2011.(Kannur)

3. 3^rd 4^th April 2011.Kannur& Mulki

4. 31^st 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 04^th 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)

CNHS Chinnar Birding Camp

Read report on the recently concluded Chinnar Birding camp;

http://www.madhyamam.com/epaper/newstory.php?id=33962&boxid=7533531

http://epaper.mathrubhumi.com/epaperstory_79504-33927968-9/16/2012-.aspx

World Migratory Bird Day programme- Some Pictures

 Welcome Speech:-









Hari Mavelikkara Speaking on Bird Identification

 Listening to the Presentation:-

 -:Sivakumar speaking

 In the field:-

 -:In front of Mangalavanam

 Photography Exhibition:-

 -:Film Show

Exhibition Venue:-

PELAGIC BIRD SURVEY - PHOTOS

Hello Everybody,

The photos of  the recently concluded Pelagic Bird Survey  from Munambam fishing Harbor is posted in the right panel. Enjoy the slide show.

Bhoothathan Kettu-Idamalayar Birding Trip

Dear friends,
CNHS held a one day birding trip to Bhoothathankettu-Idamalayar region on 5th December.We started from Perumbavoor early morning and had breakfast at Bhoothathankettu and started our birding there.We saw a group of Grey Jungle in the fields behind the dam.On our way to old Bhoothathankettu we saw many birds including,a large flock of White Bellied Tree pies flying in a group.It was a good omen as it is our logo.Many chestnut headed bee-eaters were seen and photographed there.We also saw a guy with 600mm Nikkor lens on a strap around his neck.It was amazing how he could carry it so effortlessly;should be having a neck of steel!!!We next proceeded to Idamalayar at about 11.30am. We saw the eclipse male of Purple Sunbird on the way and all of us clicked it to the heart`s content in the scorching sun for some time....We reached the Dam site at about 2.00 and had a spartan lunch at the KSEB Canteen there.We went up to the tunnel , birding till about 5.30pm there and returned.
This is the complete list of birds sighted:

1. Darter 2. Cattle Egret 3. Indian Pond Heron 4. Little Green Heron 5. Crested Serpent Eagle 6. Shikra 7. Changeable Hawk Eagle 8. Grey Junglefowl 9. Red-wattled Lapwing 10. River Tern 11. Whiskered Tern 12. Blue Rock Pigeon 13. Pompadour Green Pigeon 14. Mountain Imperial Pigeon 15. Indian Hanging Parrot 16, Plum-headed Parakeet 17. Blue-winged Parakeet 18. Brainfever Bird 19. Drongo Cuckoo 20. Indian Edible nest Swiftlet 21. White-rumped Needletail Swift 22. Malabar Trogon 23. White-breasted Kingfisher 24. Lesser Pied Kingfisher 25. Chestnut-headed Bee-eater 26. Oriental Broad-billed Roller 27. Malabar Grey Hornbill 28. Greater Golden-backed Woodpecker 29. Heart-spotted Woodpecker 30. Dusky Crag-Martin 31. Red-rumped Swallow 32. Large Pied Wagtail 33. Large Cuckoo Shrike 34. Black-headed Cuckoo Shrike 35. Ruby-throated Bulbul 36. Yellow-browed Bulbul 37. Common Iora 38. Brown Shrike 39. Blue-headed Rock Thrush 40. Malabar Whistling Thrush 41. White-throated Ground Thrush 42. Black-headed Babbler 43. Jungle Babbler 44. Common Tailorbird 45. Greenish Leaf Warbler 46. Large-billed Leaf Warbler 47. Asian Brown Flycatcher 48. Brown-breasted Flycatcher 49. Asian Paradise Flycatcher 50. Plain Flowerpecker ( Nilgiri Flowerpecker) 51. Purple-rumped Sunbird 52. Small Sunbird 53. Purple Sunbird 54. Chestnut-tailed Starling 55. Common Myna 56. Jungle Myna 57. Eurasian Golden Oriole 58. Black-headed Oriole 59. Black Drongo 60. Ashy Drongo 61. Bronzed Drongo 62. Greater Racket-tailed Drongo 63. Ashy Wood Swallow 64. Indian Treepie 65. White-bellied Treepie 66. House Crow 67. Jungle Crow

68.PlainPrinia
69.Little Cormorant

70. Egret

71. Gold-fronted Chloropsis

72. Red-whiskered Bulbul

73. Crested Tree-Swift

74.Cheeked Barbet

75. Crimson-throated Barbet

76. Grey Wagtail

77. Oriental Magpie-Robin

78. Southern Hill Myna
79.Green Imperial Pegion.

Participants:
Dr.Dileep K G,Ginu George ,Jai P Jacob and his son,Dr.Prasanth,Dr.George Moti,Prasad M George,Anna George,Gopinathan Nair,Madhukrishnan,Binny V A,Jayesh,Rifaz,Manjesh,Rajsree Bhatter,Firoze,Prof.Muthafa, Ramanathan and myself.

Vishnu

Kerala Birdrace 2010 Report

Kerala Bird Race 2010 concluded

The 4^th edition of the Kerala Bird race was held on 14^th November 2010. 130 odd bird watchers and nature enthusiasts in 31 teams from Ernakulam, Kottayam and Thrissur took part actively in the event. This included veteran birdwatchers to VII standard students like Ijas Muhammed and Parvana.

The event was organised in Kochi, by Cochin Natural History Society, a premier conservation organization in central Kerala.

Highlights of the dawn to dusk bird watching event was sighting of Malabar Pied Hornbills, Blue Bearded Bee Eaters and Rufous Bellied Hawk Eagles.

In the valedictory function, prizes to the winners were distributed by Hon. Minister for transport, Adv. Jose Thettayil. The team led by Sandeepdas won first prize (168 species). Bird of the Day prize was won by the team led by Gopal Prasad and Dr. Anudath who sighted a big flock of 16 Malabar Pied Hornbills in Athirappally-Vazhachal area. Dr. B.S. Corrie, Chief Conservator of Forests spoke on project of compensating and encouraging farmers who protect large roosting sites of Cormorants, Egrets and other wetland birds in the State. Dr. N.C. Induchoodan, DFO, spoke on the afforestation and bird conservation project of the Forest Department near CIAL Nedumbassery.Dr.B. Sreekumar,President of Kottayam Nature Society was the Adjudicator of the event. Sri.Sunjoy Monga,Mr. Renu Varghese, Dr. P.O. Nameer,Head Center for Wildlife Studies,KAU also spoke on the occasion .