17 Dec 2021  |   05:29am IST

Enthusiasts, Ornithologists and nature photographers flock from all over

The festival is an opportunity for experienced bird watchers to spread information amongst youngsters and provide guidance

 

 

It was a most interesting first

day at the 5th edition of the two day bird festival. The Malabar tree nymph, a butterfly from the family of Nymphalidae Butterfly, is now the state butterfly. The festival has attracted delegates from states like Maharashtra, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh along with a few international attendees as well.

The festival was inaugurated by the CM Pramod Sawant who encouraged all the delegates who were part of the festival. He said the state was now a hub for all major activities and events on the national and international level. The CM pointed out that some unusual migratory birds from Delhi and West Bengal which are not seen at this time of the year, were visiting Goa, due to its clean climate.

For Lynne Heslop and Aliaster Reeves, a British couple, this festival was an opportunity to learn and explore nature closely. Lynne said, “These festivals help us understand that Goa is also something apart from beaches. We have travelled in other parts of the world as well but haven’t found even a single place with even closer amount of wildlife coverage to that of Goa.” The festival is a nurturing ground for all the students and nature enthusiasts. Rohan, a third year Zoology student said, “I am among the five students who came from my institution. There were more students willing to join us but due to the protocols they weren’t allowed. I am mesmerised with the session on wildlife photography, where Kedar sir had talked about photographing a bird, covering both technical and wildlife aspects. I am looking forward to the Bird trails where I can experiment with whatever I learn now, practically”.

One of the organisers said, “I have loved working around nature and we are doing our best to reach out to the youth of Goa. The main focus is on those in the rural areas of the state.” He remembered a statement by one of his instructors who said his job pays him to breath in fresh air.

WWF Goa has put up six stalls. The forest department, local self help groups, centre for wildlife studies, Govan and GBCN. Gaurav Patil from the WWF Goa is working towards creating awareness regarding the marine species and the issues around them.

This festival is focused on bringing like minded people together and giving them a platform to share their experiences. Kamal Kishnani, an avid birdwatcher and naturalist from Bengaluru said, “I love being around wildlife, the amount of peace which nature gives can’t be gained from any other job. The adrenaline rush you get when you walk in a tiger reserve during a bird survey, hearing calls and the sound of the forest can’t be matched with any other experience. I have lived my life around wildlife and have zero regrets. The adrenaline rush which arises when you walk along with a tiger or get a golden hour bird flight click can’t be matched with anything.”

He encouraged all the budding wildlife photographers and asked them to follow their heart. Atun Jain who conducted a session on Twitching- Fun side of bird watching, said, “Twitching is not just a bare practice, instead it’s a refined art which is gained through calculated risk.” He also shared his experiences twitching birds in the subcontinent.

There are a few delegates who have been regularly attending the Birds festival, one of them, David Totter, a British citizen who has been part of the festival for the last four years. He said, “The best thing about this festival is, we get to learn a lot about the birds and their behaviours here. Those senior volunteers can recognise the birds even without seeing them, which is a talent that can be obtained only with practice. In England, we have some specific places where we do similar activities. There we don’t have anyone to guide, instead we have a written note which helps us understand the experience, but here in India it’s different. We have human interactions which are more helpful and connecting.”

While the delegates are happy about the facilities provided, they were excited in having their own experiences at the five different locations of Goa. Happy Bird watching.