DIRECTOR’S NOTE
Our activities this quarter have strengthened our commitment to conservation, education, and research. With each event and long-term monitoring, we edge closer to a more comprehensive understanding of the avian and ecological landscapes around us. – Ganeshwar S V
EARTH DAY BIRD WALK
On April 21, 2024, an Earth Day Bird Walk for Kids was organized at Poolavari Lake in Salem. A group of eager children participated in activities organized by Early Bird. The walk provided the opportunity to observe a lot of Little Cormorants fishing, while the children also delighted in spotting Little Grebes, White-throated Kingfishers, and various other water birds. They gained insights into the local habitat and even sketched the birds they encountered. The event was initiated by Early Bird and led by Angeline Mano M and Ganeshwar S V from the Salem Ornithological Foundation. To view the complete checklist of birds, click here.
SOF IN OTHER EVENTS
On 20 April 2024, SOF got an opportunity to be a part of the (SoIB) State of India’s Birds – Release at The Theosophical Society, Adyar, Chennai. The event was moderated by A M Aravind followed by the release of the documentary, SoIB- Tamil Nadu’s Report, a demo of MYNA, a Report release, Talks, felicitations, and a vote of thanks. A total of 75+ participants took part in this event. We’re thankful to everyone who was a part of this wonderful event.
Presentations by the SOF team
* ‘SoIB – Tamil Nadu Report, Demo of SoIB, Demo of MYNA’ by Ganeshwar SV
* Talk on ‘A 600+ hour study on River Terns’ by Angeline Mano M
SYSTEMATIC BIRD MONITORING AND BIODIVERSITY DOCUMENTATION AT WETLANDS UNDER PROJECT NANNEER (APRIL & MAY)
For April and May, systematic bird monitoring was continued by Angeline Mano M and Ganeshwar S V from SOF in Kanmais Chettiyan, Vadakudipatti, Kanappettai, Panangudi, and Oonaiyur under Project Nanneer. All the observations were uploaded to eBird. To view the complete checklists, please click here. Other observations of flora and fauna were uploaded to iNaturalist. To view all the observations, click here.
FIRST RECORD
On 29 April 2024, Thanigai Velu and Karthick VS sighted and photographed Besra Accipiter virgatus for the first at Yercaud, Salem. Following this record, the nesting of a pair of Besra was monitored and documented by various photographers across the state until June. To view the complete checklist, click here. All the details and photographs can be viewed in eBird.
OUTREACH
On 18 April 2024, SOF’s Founder and Director, Ganeshwar S V, had the opportunity to interact with a group of students from Ganges Valley School, Hyderabad. This was one of the most inquisitive groups SOF has encountered, with every student actively engaging and posing numerous questions. SOF extends its gratitude to the school management and Aarti C Rajaratnam ma’am for their support and for providing this opportunity.
ENDEMIC BIRD DAY
The tenth edition of Endemic Bird Day, which coincided with Global Big Day on 11 May 2024, was dedicated to documenting the endemic birds of our subcontinent. Many birders across Salem district participated, uploading all their observations to eBird. The lists compiled each year during Endemic Bird Day provide an annual snapshot of the distribution and breeding of these endemic species, and over time, will serve as a valuable resource.
FIELD VISITS
| S.No. | Name of the Hotspot | No. of species recorded | Link to the eBird Trip Report |
| 1 | Kariya Ramar Temple Area | 31 | https://ebird.org/tripreport/265465 |
| 2 | Soora Muniyappan Temple, Kottachedu & Kariya Ramar Temple Area | 61 | https://ebird.org/tripreport/265462 |
| 3 | Stanley Reservoir – Pannavadi | 33 | https://ebird.org/tripreport/265463 |
| 4 | Soora Muniyappan Temple, Kottachedu & Kariya Ramar Temple Area | 60 | https://ebird.org/tripreport/265461 |
BIODIVERSITY DOCUMENTATION PROJECT
On 4 & 5 June 2024, Salem Ornithological Foundation (SOF) conducted a detailed preliminary assessment of the wetland biodiversity in the two ponds present within the E.I.D Parry (India) Ltd. campus at Haliyal, Karnataka, India. The Hanumanth Pond and Paswan Pond were surveyed for a total time duration of 16.25 hours. Overall, 208 species of flora and fauna were documented, out of which 77 species of plants belonging to 26 families, 64 species of birds (6 species of conservation priority) belonging to 38 families, 18 species of butterflies belonging to 5 families, 11 species of odonates belonging to 3 families, 4 species of moths belonging to 3 families, 2 species of spiders belonging to 2 families, 3 species of ants belonging to 1 family and other fauna such as reptiles, mammals were also recorded. Since June falls under non-migratory season for birds, no migratory bird was recorded. To view the complete checklists in eBird, click here. To view other observations of flora and fauna in iNaturalist, click here.
RESEARCH IN BIRD CONSERVATION GRANT
We are also delighted to share that Angeline Mano from Salem Ornithological Foundation has been awarded a grant for research in bird conservation, with a project on the globally threatened bird species White-naped Tit. Her research work is based in the Salem & Erode districts. This initiative marks another step in our commitment to avian research. The grant is a collaborative effort by the Nature Conservation Foundation and IIIT-Delhi.
