Gayathri was ecstatic. And she had every reason to be. She had at last spotted a common mynah and a little egret after squinting in the direction, Vineeth, her guide, had been pointing at, for almost 10 minutes. She looked expectantly at Vineeth, as though waiting for his confirmation, and at his nod, she couldn’t but help the squeal of excitement that slipped out of her mouth, for she had at last spotted two birds!
Like Gayathri, many eager young birdwatchers had braved the weather and had turned up in the wee hours of dawn to participate in the bird walk organised as part of The Hindu Young World 25 event, at The Madras Crocodile Bank Trust.
The youngsters learnt how to use binoculars to spot birds, recognise them based on the size and colour of their beaks and wings, how to move closer to them without disturbing them, and other fascinating facts about their habitat and habits.
“Wear dull-coloured clothes, as dark colours can be spotted by birds even from a distance and they may fly away,” said Vineeth, Education Officer, Madras Crocodile Bank Trust, who led the walk. “Also, remember not to make any sudden or hurried movements. Walk slowly, sneak up on them, and if you are lucky, you may be able to get a glimpse of them before they fly away,” he added.
The group tried to look for spotted owls, and they focused their binoculars on the nung trees, hoping to catch sight of the nocturnal creature. “They’re so small that if you catch one, he would fall asleep in your hands,” said Vineeth, as the kids looked at him in wonder.
It was not just bird-spotting, as shrieks interrupted the session at the sight of snails, crabs, and other insects. Vineeth told them about the little creatures as well as plants in the vicinity.
“Learn to observe,” said Vineeth. “When you observe birds, you are encouraging yourselves not to interfere, but to learn more about them.”
A brisk walk that helped them learn a lot about birds and how to spot pelicans, mynahs, egrets and black-stilts, it was an excited group that dispersed, hopeful about the possibility of more bird walks and similar excursions.
Sponsors
Participants received goodies and certificates from The Hindu . The gift partner was Soulfull.
What they said
I have never been to a bird walk before, and this one was awesome. It was interesting learning the scientific names of commonly seen birds.
Aishwarya R., IV, PSBB KK Nagar
It was a great area, calm and peaceful with nothing except the sound of the birds and the rustling of trees. I love bird watching and this time around, it was more fun than my previous experience as I got to see a lot more birds.
Anvita Shekar, VIII, KV IIT
It was really interesting as I saw not just birds but also crabs and other creatures.
Krishna Priyaa, VIII, BVM Global
Despite the rain, I was excited as this was my first bird walk. I can’t wait to go on more walks. It was great learning so much in just three hours.
K. Lochan, VI, SBOA CBSE
I’ve been on bird walks before, but loved this one because of the sheer variety of birds I got to see. I also like it that it was not confined to learning only about birds, but Vineeth ‘sir’ patiently explained to us about plants, snails and crabs as well.
Shashank S.K., VI, Vidya Mandir SSS
The walk was great. We’ve heard about birds like mynah and pelican, but this was the first time many of us got to see them.
Dhakshayan A., VI, The Schram Academy
This was my first bird walk and it was a lot of fun. I had a great time taking pictures of birds.
Hridyanshu Reddy, IV, Aditi Nursery and Primary School
I have never been to a bird walk before, and this one was awesome. It was interesting learning about the scientific name ofbirds we hear commonly hear about.
Ananya Arun, VIII, Church Park
