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Training for bird watchers

Special Correspondent

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Bird watchers will be trained to record sightings of wetland and common birds found in Kochi.— File photo

 Interested in honing your bird-watching skills and adding a scientific touch to your hobby of observing the winged species?

The Kerala Forest Department and the Cochin Natural History Society (CNHS) are jointly offering a training programme for the bird enthusiasts for correctly identifying in wetland and common birds seen in Kerala. The participants will be trained in scientifically identifying the birds and to monitor them on a regular basis. They will also be encouraged to record the bird sightings in a scientific manner, said the organisers.

The programme comes as part of the Green Partnership programme of Social Forestry Division of Kerala Forest Department. The data would go a long way in involving people to gather scientific data on birds, they said.

The training programme will be held at Mangalavanam Bird Sanctuary on January 3 at 10 a.m. For more details, contact 9446437410.

Under the Green Partnership Programme, the Forest department and the NGOs had been carrying out Asian Waterbird Count, Common Bird Monitoring Programme, pelagic bird surveys and heronry surveys. The bird data generated from the water bird counting is used to monitor the health of wetlands. The Society had been monitoring the wetlands of Ernakulam district for the last four years. The 2014 Common Bird Monitoring Programme succeeded in recording 280 bird species, the organisers said.

Training on CBMP ,AWC and eBird

Dear Friends,

We are conducting a training session on Bird Watching  with the help of Kerala Forest Department under Green Partnership Programme.:

Date and time  :10am on Saturday, 3rd January 2015.

Venue:               Mangalavanam Sanctuary,behind Highcourt of Kerala.

Topics:              Wetlands Bird Monitoring and Identification:

                           Common Birds of Kerala- CBMP

                           Introduction  to eBird.

For participation, please mail us at  cochinnaturalhistorysociety@gmail.com or contact me .

Warm Regards Happy Birding,

Vishnu

9446437410

Eat Pokkali Rice to Conserve Waterbirds, Say Birders

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Eat pokkali rice to conserve water birds, say birders

K.S. SUDHI ,The Hindu

The Cochin Natural History Society, an NGO, has launched a campaign asking the bird enthusiasts to buy pokkali rice from the farmers to support the farming and thereby conserving wetlands, the habitat of wetland birds. Eat pokkali rice to save wetland bird habitats, exhort birders of Kochi.

The Cochin Natural History Society (CNHS), an NGO dedicated for conservation of birds, has launched a campaign asking the bird enthusiasts to buy pokkali rice from the farmers of Varapuzha area to support the farming and thereby conserving wetlands, the habitat of wetland birds.

Pokkali farming is facing crisis in the district with drastic reduction in the extent of farmland. The farming activity itself had become uneconomic forcing the farmers to abandon it, said Vishnupriyan Kartha, secretary of the society.

The CNHS is focusing its attention on Devaswom Padam in Varapuzha, which is one of the favourite wetland birding sites in the district. The presence of around 50 bird species draws birders and nature enthusiasts to this site. The destruction of wetlands will naturally lead to loss of habitat of avian fauna. Sustainable farming is the only way to protect the birds. Hence the campaign, Mr. Kartha said.

The bird species present in the wetland include Little Cormorant, Oriental Darter, Indian Pond Heron, Purple Heron, Grey Heron and Little Egret. Asian Openbill, Lesser Whistling Duck, White-breasted water hen, Purple Swamp hen, Bronze winged Jacana and Pacific Golden Plover are also found here.

Calling the attention of birders who have been carrying out “birding and photography at Kadamakudi and Devaswom Padam regularly,” a communication from the CNHS urged them to buy pokkali rice to revive the farming. A group of social activists are supporting the farmers by returning the profit from selling pokkali rice procured from them, he said.

Pokkali paddy farmed by the local farmers is converted into rice at a threshing unit and the rice is sold at Rs. 60 a kg. The profit is returned to the farmers as an incentive for engaging in pokkali farming, said Jesudas Varapuzha, one of the activists.

Last year, One quintal rice was thus sold and profit shared among the farmers. There was good demand for pokkali rice and the transportation of rice to the buyers was one hassle faced in its marketing, he said.

The society had been covering the wetlands since 2011 during the Asian water bird census. When the birders assemble here for the next census in January, the members will be encouraged to buy the rice from the farmers.

High Court upholds fragile land Act

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Kerala Bird Race 2014- A Report

Dear all,

It was yet another day for celebrating the joy of birding by birding enthusiasts.The eighth edition of Kerala Bird Race was held with gusto and enthusiasm  yesterday . The Bird Race is conducted in Kerala to commensurate with the birthday of Dr. S`alim Ali in three cities namely Kochi,Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram In the central region, around 100 participants in 22 teams from Ernakulam, Thrissur,Kottayam and Alleppey  participated  in the programme. The valedictory function was held at Airport Abad, Nedumbassery.

The Chief Guest was  Hon, Justice K. Sukumaran, former Justice of Kerala High court.He shared his many experiences in dealing with environmental issues and the Silent Valley struggle.It was a speech sprinkled with humor and wit.In the function participants shared the day`s joys and misses and even a team`s tryst with wild elephants.

Now coming to the main part, the main sightings  from central.region were  an Amur Falcon from Nedumbassey by Dr.Dilip K G , our President, Asian Fairy Bluebird and Velvet Fronted Nuthatch from KAU Campus by students of Forestry College, around 1500 Glossy Ibis from Kole  wetlands, and a Mountain Hawk Eagle from Idamalayar area by Ginu George,Jai P Jacob,Cinoby J Kanat and Arun, members of CNHS.

All participants were  encouraged to submit their observations to eBird platform.A presentation on Onam Bird Count Results and eBird introduction was also given.

This year there were many  new birding enthusiasts  participating r, including from Thiruvananthapurm,Idukki and Palakkad. The function ended with a Banquet, and participants were seen lingering long after, sharing their days memories with each other....

Vishnu

Sri M Suresh, Beat Forest Officer ,Idukki WLS being awarded Forest Medal by Chief Minister on Independance Day for meritorious service

Sanctuary at Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit woos birders

Sanctuary at varsity woos birders

HIRAN UNNIKRISHNAN

Poorna bird sanctuary located on the campus of Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit in Kalady.– Photo: By Special Arrangement

Leaving the traditional birding sites, birders are now flocking the Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit in Kalady, thanks to its rich avian wealth.

Located far away from the city, the varsity campus is serene, green and home to a bird sanctuary named Poorna. As per the estimates, the park houses about 30 species of birds and plant varieties.

Varsity officials pointed out that the sanctuary highlighted the role of the campus as a shelter for local and migrating birds and in spreading awareness about the importance of birds in the environment. Some of the bird varieties often spotted here includes Night Heron, Purple heron, Back Bittern and Brown Hawk Owl. The location often serves as a stopover for many migratory birds as well.

“The significance of the park, established in December last year, is that it promises to radiate onto the surrounding urban settlement and spread the bird population to the countryside,” said M.C. Dileep Kumar, Vice Chancellor of the varsity. According to him, the system does not concern solely birds, but also addresses the elimination or reduction of threats linked to the survival of species and plants.

“The students and staff together play a key role in maintaining the system, which has been declared as a plastic-free zone,” the VC explained, adding that the varsity would make every step to maintain its habitat intact even while taking up the various development projects. Aiming to spread awareness, the varsity officials also plans to organise bird identification workshop for students in the coming months. “Students of different schools would be invited to participate in the contest, identify birds and check with experts about their guesses. This is needed for systematic and collective efforts to save biodiversity of Poorna,” said an official.

Dr.K.G. Dileep, Head of the Sociology department at the varsity and an avid birder, said sensitising people on campus to wildlife conservation is very important. “Speeding vehicles, fencing, construction and even cutting down a small tree may disturb the habitat. Therefore, keeping the people on campus aware about what may disturb the wild habitats is essential,” he pointed out.