2025-10-28

A bird watching session was organized for the students of S.K.M. High School, Kumarakom near the Naalupank Boat Terminal—an area noted for its extensive paddy fields and rich wetland biodiversity. This activity was a core component of the Wings of Awareness program, a pioneering initiative launched by the Tropical Institute of Ecological Sciences (TIES) conceived and supported by Buimerc India Foundation. The project is specifically designed to cultivate a deep ecological awareness in students, employing hands-on, outdoor education to ignite curiosity, sharpen observational skills, and build a profound respect for the natural world. The project is implementing across 20 schools in Kottayam District, engaging around 1,000 students and 60 teachers.

The session was led by Mr. Sarath Babu (Nature Education Officer and Ornithology Expert) and Ms. Suhaana (Project Officer, Wings of Awareness) from the Tropical Institute of Ecological Sciences (TIES), with the support and participation of teacher coordinators from the school, Ms. Praseedha P R, Mr. Abhilash P A, and Mr. Anandhan P T (Retd. Teacher).

This event held special significance as it marked the concluding bird watching session of the first stage of the Wings of Awareness program, successfully completing the basic field visits in all the 20 selected schools from Kottayam district.

The session began with a briefing by Mr. Sarath Babu, who introduced the students to the ethics and best practices of bird watching. This was followed by Ms. Suhaana’s demonstration of the CROW(Children's Resources for Ornithology and Wilderness)   app, explaining its features and showing how to log bird sightings digitally. After the orientation, the main bird watching activity commenced, providing students with hands-on experience in field observation.

During the session, the participants recorded over 40 different species of birds, mostly wetland species. Some of the prominent sightings included the Black-crowned Night Heron, Glossy Ibis, Black-headed Ibis, River Tern, Tricoloured Munia, Indian Golden Oriole and Jungle Myna, among others.

Following the field activity,  a student volunteered to read aloud the compiled checklist of birds sighted during the session, which others cross-verified. This engaging wrap-up encouraged discussion and reinforced the learning outcomes of the day.

The session concluded on a positive note, marking the successful completion of the first stage of the Wings of Awareness program. Through these experiential sessions, the initiative continues to foster curiosity, ecological understanding, and a sense of responsibility towards nature among school students.