Kerala - Kannur   

On the trail of avian friends

Kannur: Bird-watchers covered almost all the known bird habitats in the region, from ghat areas to coastal belt, on November 15, spending the day recording as many species of birds as possible and learning finer points of bird-watching from experts.

As many as 13 teams participated in the Kerala Bird Race 2009 held in the Malabar region on November 15 to commemorate the birth anniversary of Salim Ali, the Bird Man of India.

Bird races were also conducted simultaneously in the central and southern parts of the State. The bird watchers in the region covered areas in Kannur, Wayanad, Kozhikode and Malappuram districts including Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary, Kannavam forest, Kattampally, Chemballikundu, Ezhimala, Janakikkadu, Kadalundy community reserve, Purathur, Kottooli and Mavoor, among others.

KeralaBirder, an Internet mailing group of bird-watchers, along with the HSBC Ltd. and Yuhina Eco-Media, a Mumbai-based organisation specialising in natural history and environment-related activities, conducted the dawn-to-dusk bird-watching event. The event was hosted by the Malabar Natural History Society (MNHS). Each team comprised four members including children, teachers, social activists and nature lovers.

The team led by Jayan Thomas and P.C. Rajeevan (Kannur) won the first prize in the region by recording 149 species of birds.

Sasidharan Manekara and team (Thalassery) spotted 94 species and secured the second prize, while the third prize went to Roshnad and team, which recorded 86 species. Spotted Redshank sighted by Dr. Thomas and Mr. Rajeevan team was declared the bird of the day.

Jafer Palot of the MNHS here said that some of the important sightings during the bird race included Watercock, Rufous Woodpecker, Spotted Redshank, Sanderling, Black-tailed Godwit, Rosy Starling, Grey-headed lapwing, Dollar Bird, Booted Eagle, Temminck’s Stint. Prizes were distributed by Calicut University Zoology Department Head M. Gokuldas.

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