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Concept

WINGS – Birds of India is a dawn to dusk program. Teams of bird-watchers will spend the entire day birding in and around the metropolitan region (there’s a geographical limit to its outer boundaries, usually taken as an expanse that is impacted by the urbania). In some venues participants can opt to bird-watch from dawn to around 1 pm.

The aim is to try record as many species of birds as possible, learn about the finer points of bird-watching from the experienced participants, and then, later that evening, meet at a suitable venue over dinner and an interactive tête-à-tête.

There’s something new. At most venues we will have a Guest speaker or two, addressing the gathering over some research work, some conservation issue, something interesting and important related to birdlife. There are also children’s interactive sessions, including school visits.

Despite the data documentation, learning and inter-action, and of course the strict rules, there is an enjoyable element to this exercise, which has helped stimulate enormous interest in bird-watching as a highly popular hobby. The program has been giving us a good idea of the birdlife in and around the cities it is held in, and helped build up support for environment and nature conservation, especially since it has also ushered in participation and interaction with various stakeholders locally.

There is also the team spirit that comes into focus here. To ensure that the results are as infallible and in principle as correct as possible, a range of experts carefully analyse any rarities and doubtful records and overall results before they are put on to a public platform.

At the evening (or in some venues, a lunch) get-together, the participants get an opportunity to interact with some of the finest and most experienced birders in that city, including special invitees.

Each Team also gets an opportunity to intermingle with the other like-minded folks from their own cities, sometimes from their very own neighbourhoods who they may have never met, and recount their day’s experiences. All in all, it is a great end to a day well spent with and for the featherfolk, and for nature.