Let's wing it

Did you know that on October Big Day last year India ranked 10th globally for the number of bird species reported This year with Bird Count Indias BCI Wild Bird Day and October Big Day coinciding on October 17 we have a chance to boost our place in the global rankingWhile the Wild Bird Day by BCI is a daylong birding event celebrated by birders across India to observe and list as many species as they can October Big Day is celebrated by global birders who document birds throughout the day and night And the best part is that you dont need to be an expert to contribute A love for nature combined with good observation skills and spending as less as just 10 minutes in your balcony could do the trickPurple rumped sunbird PicAdithi MuralidharAll youve got to do is download the eBird mobile app Stay put in your balcony or terrace and look out for interesting avian activity Every species that you document on the app will automatically be added to the listings for the global October Big Day challengeWith the pandemic still around a lot of the birding activity may occur closer to home but as a community in the last few months we have witnessed that incredible diversity can be right near our doorstep As global birdwatching events gain momentum combined with the onset of migration and the respite that birding offers from the WFH routine in these times it is going to be a particularly fruitful Wild Bird Day suggests Ashwin Viswanathan research associate at Bird Count IndiaVerditer flycatcher PicRamesh ShenaiEducation researcher Adithi Muralidhar has been an avian enthusiast for as long as she can remember But she took up the citizen science of birdwatching more seriously in 2006 Birding brings me a lot of peace it makes me more perceptive and also helps brush up skills of observation she shares Muralidhar strongly feels that birding should not be restricted to any age group I am also a strong advocate of nature education among children Our centre under the Vigyan Pratibha Project developed a learning unit for observing birds in your immediate environment The aim is to observe birds in their natural environment and develop the skills of observation attention to detail and documentation and more importantly also rekindle our almost fading relationship with nature she addsFor Muralidhar patience is crucial If you feel left out watching experienced birders sharing photos and a large number of sightings dont be overwhelmed There is nothing wrong if you spotted only five birds All of us face trouble at the start You neednt immediately head out to a birding hotspot if you are new to birding You will need time to observe make notes and identify the species Adopt what we call patch birding which is birding in the same area over a whileIndian spotted eagle PicRamesh ShenaiVasaibased naturalist Ramesh Shenai who has been birding for six years has documented over 79 species from his balcony in the past 200 days These include greater flamingos Vigorss sunbird jungle myna booted eagle Peregrine falcon painted stork Eurasian spoonbill and bank myna among othersOctober surprises you with both passage and winter migrants While the passage migrants do not migrate here they make pit stops for rest Their beauty is striking Since the eBird app is easytouse the experience should make it a thrilling one he signs offRamesh Shenai Adithi Muralidhar and Ashwin ViswanathanOn October 17 and 18 allday longLog on to eBirdorgTips from the experts Keep your distance from the bird while observing Do not harm the natural surroundings or trespass private property to observe the bird better Seek permission first Avoid being noisy Do not feed the birds or play the calls of birds to increase proximity Dont approach the nesting area Never handle eggs Be cautious while observing birds during the mating season Wear dullcoloured clothing and avoid dabbing on powders creams perfumes or lotions with a strong odour While photographing birds ensure you switch off the flash especially near nesting sites Observe behaviour such as feeding flocking flying foraging mating nesting preening roosting singing or calling territorial display hopping wading or swimmingInputs by Adithi Muralidhar Teacher PlusKeep scrolling to read more newsCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and a complete guide from food to things to do and events across Mumbai Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates MidDay is now on Telegram Click here to join our channel middayinfomedialtd and stay updated with the latest news