EDITOR’S NOTE
“This has to be one of the best of first three months in birding activities that Salem district has witnessed in the past few years. Due to the dedicated efforts by birders, four new bird species (including rarities) have been added to the checklist of Salem. Our birders also put up an incredible show during the three (annual) major bird counts–AWC, PBC and GBBC. Many new people have started birding and especially more women coming forward is very promising and the future of Salem Birding looks bright. We thank our District Forest Officer A. Periyasamy, I.F.S. for granting us to do a write up and translate his lucid speech on forest fires. With the summer being relentless, we request birders (and everyone) to take sufficient measures to keep safe from the heat and watch birds. Sightings and records which are entered in eBird are only taken into account towards the writing of this e-magazine.” —Ganeshwar SV.
ASIAN WATERBIRD CENSUS
Several birders from many parts of Salem district took part in the Asian Waterbird Census (AWC) conducted from January 5 to 20, 2019. The AWC also welcomes counts from any date in January. Checklists were shared with AWC India eBird account and AWC Wetland Assessment Form was also filled and submitted for each wetland covered. Salem birders collectively documented 139 species during the event.
NEW RECORD (1)
During AWC, on January 6, 2019, Senthil Kumar spotted a SPOTTED REDSHANK Tringa erythropus at Mettur which is the first record for Salem. Please see the complete checklist here.
5th PONGAL BIRD COUNT
During the Pongal Bird Count (PBC), birders of Salem district especially from Salem Ornithological Foundation made huge contributions and it is a motivating gesture to see that nearly all the Top 10 birders are from our team. Many thanks and congratulations to all the participants. Please click here to see the complete results of Pongal Bird Count 2019. We thank S.P. Saravanan of The Hindu for his continued support to our activities.
TEAM PALM SWIFT
During the Pongal Bird Count, Team Palm Swift comprising of three crazy birders Arulvelan Thillainayagam, Selvaganesh K and Hareesha AS set out to cover the entire Tamil nadu and Puducherry in just three days. They travelled 2,085 KM and submitted 439 eBird checklists. Do have a read about their incredible journey, here. Also please see their complete checklist from Salem which they put during their journey. Salem Ornithological Foundation congratulates the birders for their inspiring effort.
NEW RECORD (2)
On February 10, 2019, Senthil Kumar recorded KENTISH PLOVER Charadrius alexandrinus for the first time in Salem. Please see the complete checklist here.
7th GREAT BACKYARD BIRD COUNT
The global Great Backyard Bird Count takes place every year over four days (Friday – Monday) around the middle of February. Since it is carried out at around the same time every year, GBBC helps create an annual, real-time snapshot of what birds are where. GBBC 2019, which took place from 15th – 18th February 2019, was the seventh in India.
Notably, among all the districts in the world (‘counties’ in eBird parlance), Salem, a district in Tamil Nadu had uploaded the most number of checklists– 8420! (Source:BCI) Birders of Salem district especially from Salem Ornithological Foundation made huge contributions and except one or two ranks, the Top 10 birders in the World and India are from our team. To see the complete results of Great Backyard Bird Count–India, please click here.
(Note: the numbers on the eBird website may differ a little from those presented in Bird Count India because of slight differences in methods of calculation)
NEW RECORD (3)
On the second day of GBBC, February 16, 2019, Senthil Kumar recorded EASTERN ORPHEAN WARBLER Sylvia crassirostris at Chinna Mettur. This is the first record of the bird from Salem. Please see the complete checklist here.
EXEMPLARY WORK BY OUR FOREST DEPARTMENT
During the last week of February, a serious forest fire broke out in the foothills of Yercaud. Three men were arrested for causing the fire. The District Administration and the Salem Forest Department did an amazing job in controlling the forest fire. Our District Forest Officer A. Periyasamy, I.F.S. appealed to the public to cooperate in protecting the forests from forest fires during summer. To read the English version of the speech by our DFO, please click here.
NEW RECORD (4)
On March 3, 2019, R. Venkatraman (Thirumalai RT Venkatraman) spotted and photographed a TICKELL’S THRUSH Turdus unicolor at Yercaud. This is the first record of the species in Salem. Please see the complete checklist here. There are just nine previous records of Tickell’s Thrush in Tamil Nadu out of which only three are with photographs (Source: eBird). Hence, this sighting with an image from Salem is indeed a great one.
EMERGING WOMEN BIRDERS OF SALEM
To encourage more women participation in birding activities, women birders of Salem Ornithological Foundation are doing their best to encourage more people and they have started to emerge as an inspiration to others in the district and State. On the occasion of International Women’s Day, Salem Ornithological Foundation has featured the prominent women birders of Salem as well as the names of others in an exclusive article. To know more about our women power, please click here. 
SPRING TREE QUEST
Any activity which involves birds is sure to make our birders get going. The ‘Spring Tree Quest’ was a four-day, country-wide, rapid assessment of the phenology of common Indian trees. Several Salem birders were very enthusiastic and participated in the event from 15 to 18 March 2019. Please see the complete results of the Spring Tree Quest, here.
POACHERS ARRESTED!
On the night of March 16, 2019, under the order and support of District Forest Officer A. Periyasamy, I.F.S, a patrol team headed by Forest Ranger Paramasivam along with Forest Guard Siva Kumar other staffs Thiyagarajan, Santhakumar and Muthaiyan, arrested two poachers who illegally entered into forests and poached Grey Francolins Francolinus pondicerianus. The 31 rescued birds and a hare was handed over to the Kurumbapatti Zoological Park. The culprits were fined Rs. 5,000 INR each.
WORLD SPARROW DAY
On March 20, 2019, World Sparrow Day was celebrated with focus not just on sparrows but on all the common birds around us. Students from Panchayat Union Primary Schools at Neermullikuttai, Kurichi and Puzhuthikuttai and Panchayat Union Middle Schools at Thalavaipatty and Krishnampudur participated in large numbers. They were guided by their teachers Rajangam P, Kalaiselvan V and Senthil Kumar S.
INTERNATIONAL DAY OF FORESTS
The UN International Day of Forests was celebrated in several schools associated with Salem Ornithological Foundation in partnership with Tamil Nadu Science Forum. Special mention must be made of the students of Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Thulir Illam belonging to Panchayat Union Middle School, Thalavaipatty. Their teacher Rajangam P explained the several aspects forests and their importance. A documentary film ‘Save Our Sholas’ by the renowned wildlife filmmaker Shekar Dattatri was also screened.
INTERNATIONAL DAY OF WATER
The UN International Day for Water was celebrated across several schools associated with Salem Ornithological Foundation and Tamil Nadu Science Forum. The school teachers spoke in detail about the rising water crisis and the importance and need to act to conserve water. Students pledged to take necessary measures.
LIGHTS OFF!
Along with millions of people around the world, members of Salem Ornithological Foundation took part in the Earth Hour 2019 to save energy and fight climate change. 
STUDENTS’ CORNER
Under the guidance of their headmaster Senthil Kumar S, students of Panchayat Union Middle School, Krishnampudur prepared their own nest boxes for birds. After few months, birds such as Indian Robin, Yellow-billed Babbler have started to use the nest boxes and pots which were hung in the trees within the school campus. Due to this, all students have developed a deep concern for the birds around them. 
The following sketches were drawn by 7th standard students–P Hemalatha, K Kiruthika and S Vasanthapriya of Panchayat Union Middle School, Thalavaipatty. The students say that it is one of their hobbies to draw their favorite birds as well as other colorful ones during their leisure time. They are ably supported by Rajangam P, their teacher.
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