1.Tree Planting Program at Jogginagar, Bolpur on 11th August, where the villagers received 20 fruit trees from CEMO also including Tamarind Trees for the Migrating Open-billed Storks, that seek out Tamarind Trees for their collective nesting.
2.Peacock Project in Rajhat, Bandel, Cemo donates food for the peafowl and coordinates measures for the preservation of the birds in collaboration with the local authorities. At present, a census is being carried out.
3.Protection of the Open billed Storks etc in Papuri, Jogyanagar and Islampur in the Bolpur villages near Shaniniketan, West Bengal.
4.Planting of Indigenous Trees in South Calcutta.
5.Wild Boar Farm in the Sunderbans (in the pipeline).
Santragacchi Project
2nd Principals' Workshop
CEMO is organising the "2nd Principals' Workshop" on 13th September, at the Tolly Club 10am -4pm.
The Principals' Meet
CEMO is organising The Principals' Meet at Shantiniketan on 10 and 11 July, 2010.
World Environment Day, June 5, 2010
CEMO's Annual General Meeting
CEMO's Annual General Meeting is on June 3,2010, where the new office bearers will be elected.
Awareness Programmes
1.Inter School Eco-jamboree in February, 2008.
2.Walk to Save the Tiger in March, 2008.
3.Students' Awareness Program from June - September, 2008.
4.Ecological Field Trips for school and college students and members of CEMO.
5.Walk to save the Sunderbans in April, 2009.
Environment Awareness Workshop at Shantiniketan
August 2011
Alokeparna Ghosh
Cemo, while working on projects in villages surrounding Shantiniketan and Bolpur for protection of the habitats of migratory birds, felt the need to aware the local communities about the climate change and its fatal impact on the living beings. One easy way to teach the population is through the schools where young minds are trained. Cemo's past workshops with city schools and teachers had yielded very positive results. Encouraged, Cemo organized a two-day workshop for 8 schools located in and around Bolpur in the 1st week of September.
From each school, the principal and 3 teachers were invited. A nominal registration fee was charged to ensure participation. The workshop took place in the Gitanjali Auditorium in Bolpur.
DAY-1: September 3, 2011
On the 3rd, the first day, the workshop started at 2:00 in the afternoon, a little later than the scheduled time as the principals and
the teachers had difficulty arriving on time.
The participating schools were:
- Binuria Sumitra Balika Bidyalaya
- Binuria High School for Boys
- Bolpur High School
- Bolpur Vivekananda Bidyapeeth
- Binuria Nirodh Barani High School
- Rampurhar Jaikrishnapur High School
- Bolpur Binuria High School
- Bolpur Nichupatty School
However, Bolpur Nichupatty School was unable to attend. Sanjay Majhi, a teacher in a local school and a resident of Islampur village
where Cemo is working extensively on village development, also participated in the workshop.
The programme started with Mrs. Shibani Dutta, a Cemo member, giving a short introduction of Cemo and its past and ongoing projects,
followed by Mrs. Suchita Choudhury's introduction of Speaker Dr. Asish Ghosh.
Dr. Ashish Kumar Ghosh is the Director, Centre for Environment and Development. He is an eminent Environmentalist, Ecologist and Authority
on Bio-diversity. Dr. Ghosh has 50 years of teaching experience in India and abroad and had served as a scientist under Ministry of
Environment and Forests, India. He is also engaged as a consultant for the Govt. of India, World Bank, DFID, UNDP and several other prominent
organizations.
Dr. Ghosh opened the session with the scarcity of safe drinking water in today's world, especially in the rural areas, and how to tackle the
problem using local resources.He then proceeded to share how human evolution from hunter-gatherer to cultivator and so on impacted the
environment.
He again touched the subject of water saying that both quantity and quality are important. Water crisis has reached such a point that
it just may cause the 3rd world war. Hence the rainwater harvesting must be practiced by one and all. We must also practice the three
'R's namely Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.
Dr. Ghosh strongly advised to save wetlands (water contains dissolved oxygen) and trees to enable the nature to keep oxygen level in air
well-balanced.
At the end of his talk, Dr. Ghosh showed several books and posters on environment written in Bengali and published by his organization
which could be a great resource to know and teach about environment. Mrs. Purnima Dutta assured all help in making the books available
to the schools.Cemo member Arundhati Chatterji offered a vote of thanks before handing over a token of appreciation to Dr. Ghosh.
In the second session a documentary film on the Sundarbans titled 'The Forests of the Sea-Sundarbans' directed by Mrs. Purnima Dutta,
Vice President of Cemo, was shown to the audience. The film gave a beautiful visual account of how the aquatic environment of the Sundarbans
adapt to the different weathers and help maintain the eco-balance.
DAY-2: September 4, 2011
The next day the morning session of the workshop started at 10 am. Speaker Mrs. Indrilla Guha was introduced by Cemo member Mrs. Jharna Mitra.
Indrilla Guha is the associate professor in Economics in Vidyasagar College for Women, Calcutta. She is also a Climate SMART Initiative member
of Global Change Programme, Jadavpur University as well as Climate Leader-LEAD India, sponsored by British High Commission. Mrs. Guha gave a
power point presentation on 'Climate Change and Conservation-Global Issues, Local Concerns'.
Toward the end of the presentation, Mrs. Guha offered some take home messages:
- Drive smart- Drive well-tuned cars with properly inflated tyres, walk, bicycle or use public transport or car pool.
- Support clean, renewable energy.
- Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluro bulbs.
- Become a smart water consumer.
- Buy energy efficient electronic appliances.
- Plant trees, protect forests.
- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
- Say NO to plastic.
- Mount a local campaign against global warming. Educate your community about how it can cut global warming. Support measures at the national, state and local levels.
The presentation was followed by a brief interactive session where many interesting facts were churned out. Indrilla requested Cemo to address the use of plastic which is plaguing the environment when asked by Jharna Mitra how Cemo could contribute to the campaign. She also requested to aware all of the need to separate recycle waste and other waste before disposal. Waste sorting (including e-waste) is mainly done by women and children. It is extremely hazardous and deposits lead in the lungs of the persons involved in sorting.
A tea break was announced at 11:30 and the group re-gathered at 11:45 to watch 'The Truth About Tigers'.
The speaker for the afternoon session was Mr. Tapash Kumar Ghatak, who was introduced by Aditi Mukherjee. Mr. Ghatak, an expert in exploration geophysics, served Geological Survey of India in various capacities. He also served as the Chief of the Environment Cell (KMDA) and Functional Head of Environment Management in urban West Bengal.
Mr. Ghatak's talk on 'Water and Rain Water Harvesting' was supported by a power point presentation which displayed informative diagrams, graphs and pictures.
Next he focused on India.Mr. Ghatak also discussed local concerns i.e. Birbhum's situation. He pointed out that random paving of roads and paths were blocking all water recharge points. Birbhum's water has been contaminated with fluoride. Awareness campaign led many of Birbhum's schools adopt rain water harvesting. Kirnahar Shibchandra High School, Kirnahar Tarapada Smriti Balika Uchha Bidyalaya, Satyanaryan Shikshaniketan Balika Uchha Bidyalaya, Ahmedpur JayDurga Uchha Bidyalaya are successfully harvesting rain water using roof area.
Mr. Ghatak again reminded us the usefulness of rain water harvesting. It can supply water to water deprived areas; it prevents water wastage; if stored properly, it is the best quality water; it prevents flood; it helps improve quality of ground water. The implementation of rain water harvesting method is simple and economical and it can be practiced by all to address the global water crisis locally.
The workshop was wrapped up at 3:30 pm by Mrs. Shibani Mondal and Mrs. Suchita Choudhury who gave us an overview of the 2-day workshop. The schools were presented with environment posters. Mrs. Arundhati Chatterji offered vote of thanks to all the participants as well as cemo members who helped organize the two-day event. Cemo members Purnima , Shibani, Gomathy, Anuradha, Chandra, Kajol De Bakshi, Manisha, Arundhati, Aditi, Suchita, Jharna, Kajol Biswas, Dola, Ratna and Alokeparna had put forth hard efforts to make the workshop a success. The workshop was an immense learning experience, voiced all the teachers and principals present and they extended their thanks to Cemo for providing such a great opportunity to know from the experts.
Cemo Wild Spring Fest
The last day of April 2010, was an exciting and enriching experience for Cemo and all its members. Heat notwithstanding, the members were all eager to do their best to make the Cemo Wild Spring Fest a memorable one for all the participants. Eleven schools from all over Kolkata took part. These were:
1.Ballygunge Shiksha Sadan
2.Calcutta International School
3.Heritage School
4.Heritage Academy H.S. School, Howrah
5.Delhi Public School, New Town
6.Brahmo Girls Balika Vidyalaya
7.St. Lawrence High School
8.Akshar
9.Mahadevi Birla Girls' High School
10.Shri Shikshayatan School
11. La Martiniere for Girls
The programme began with the Cemo keynote address, written by Cemo member Ms. Nandini Mukherjee and delivered eloquently by Cemo member Ms. Monisha Sen. The address reached out to wide range of environmental issues and reiterated the role of Cemo not just as a platform for people, or a forum, but as a voice – of the earth calling out in distress, the voice of helpless animals and above all the voice of the youth bringing in hope and change. At the end Ms Sen urged the students to think deeply about the fate of human life when the last traces of nature’s gifts would vanish from the earth. Would it be the end of life and the beginning of survival?
The keynote address set the tone and mood for the entire programme. The first event was the Inter-School Skit contest on the theme of 'Save the Tiger' where all the children showcased their talent and creativity to speak out on a wide range of environmental dangers – tiger poaching, global warming, animal trafficking, deforestation to name a few. The event was well contested. Finally, the winners were Shri Shikshayatan School (1st ), Brahmo Girls' Higher Secondary School (2nd) and Heritage Academy, Howrah (3rd).
The post lunch session began with the viewing of the documentary - 'Wildlife of India' made by the renowned environmentalist Mr. Valmik Thapar. The film acted as a natural stimulus to the next event - the Inter school Wildlife Quiz contest, conducted by Mr. Kingshuk Biswas. He kept the young minds alert with a wide spectrum of questions and visuals on various aspects of wildlife. The winners of the quiz were DPS New Town (1st), St. Lawrence School (2nd) and Mahadevi Birla Girls’ High School (3rd).
The last event of the fest was the much awaited 'Snake Show' by well - known herpetologists, Mr. Dipak Mitra and his son Deepanjan Mitra. When Deepanjan Mitra brought out non-poisonous snakes such as the boa and Green Whip snake, there was a tumultuous response from the students, all of whom rushed to the stage to handle the snakes and learn more about their habits and characteristics. A few adults also followed including Ms. Sunita Sen, Principal, Ballygunge Shiksha Sadan, and many Cemo members. Next, Dipak Mitra created suspense and wonder when he exhibited the poisonous variety – the viper and the cobra! An interesting fact emerged – that only 9% of the world’s snakes are poisonous – a clear indication that there is no need to give the friendly hiss a hurried miss!
The Snake Show brought the curtain down on the day’s activities .This year, the message of the Cemo Fest was made even more significant as it coincided with the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, which was first observed in April, 1970. A further dimension was added as the fest also became a vital part of the 60th year celebrations of Ballygunge Shiksha Sadan, the host school. Cemo gratefully acknowledges the contribution of Ms. Sunita Sen, Principal, the school teachers and the students who all worked tirelessly to make the fest a grand success.
Teachers' Awareness Programme (TAP)
With the continuing efforts with the Students awareness campaign, CEMO members felt that it would be more effective to direct our attention with the same objectives in mind as the students' project to build up an awareness and empathy for the Teachers of schools which CEMO was working with. The concern for Nature, the polluted environment around us and the wild life in their habitat that was being threatened and some even facing extinction with the slow but steady encroachment into their domain by human population were to be the subjects for discussion and conflict resolutions.
The teachers were informed that the third workshop in the series of TAP, would be held in the Sundarbans itself with an overnight stay there. It was received with great interest and enthusiasm.
The Principals' Meet on 10th and 11th July 2010 was held at the Gitanjali complex,the 4 hour ride from Kolkata. Our first session was led by Dr. Anirudha Mukherjee, Head of the Department of Environmental Studies at Calcutta University centred at the Ballygunge Circular Road Science College. The entire audience of over 30 people listened to Dr. Mukherjee's talk on the Nature of what is now termed Climate change causing the man-made global warming felt everywhere with the distinct rise in sea levels especially of coastal areas and islands across the globe with examples of Bangladesh and Tuvalu a tiny island in the South Pacific whose population had already been evacuated by a United Nations Directive.There were Q&As at the end of the lecture, and requests for the CD or papers which he had presented by Principals of a few schools.
Islampur Bird Protection & Village Development
August 2011
Alokeparna Ghosh
Islampur is one of the three villages (other two being Jaggonogor and Papuri) identified by Cemo where open-bill storks migrate to in large numbers in June/ July every year to nest and lay eggs. The birds take shelter in large trees, mostly tamarind, to nurture the young ones. Located near Shantiniketan, Bolpur, the quiet village is well aware of the needs to protect these birds. However, the community is economically deprived and does not have enough resource to offer a safe habitat to the birds. In association with the local Rotary Club, Cemo decided to adopt the village and focus on its development.
Cemo scheduled a 3-day visit to Shantiniketan in August 2011 to mobilize the Islampur project it undertook. A seven-members team of Cemo led by Purnima Dutta arrived in Shantiniketan on Saturday August 6. Cemo’s agenda included helping village women learn vocational skills and generate income and planting fruit bearing trees. In the afternoon, the members went to a local nursery with Bijoy Mukherjee, Immediate Past President of the Rotary Club of Tagoreland, and purchased seedlings. The young plants were then taken to Islampur village and handed over to Sanjay and Sulekha, the two very enthusiastic and proactive community volunteers who took charge as coordinators. Previous interaction with the village women had revealed their interest in exploring income opportunities through batik work which they learnt at workshops arranged by Rotary. Cemo purchased necessary items such as several large aluminum bowls, plastic tumblers, a kerosene stove and a kerosene lantern to aid their work. These items too were handed over to Sanjay and Sulekha. The members visited the site where the open-bill storks were nesting. It was indeed quite an experience to see hundreds of large birds resting on treetops and their little ones filling the air with their noises.
Next day at 10:30 in the morning Cemo members Purnima, Arundhati, Aditi, Jharna, Anuradha, Shibani and Alokeparna braved a very humid weather as well as a black sky threatening a heavy downpour and returned to the village to hold a meeting with the village ladies. The meeting took place at a Kali temple and was attended by 25 women. Arundhati carried many samples of handcrafted items like decorative carry bags made of cloth, jute and paper and quilts adorned with Kantha work. She explained to the ladies how to make these items. Purnima explained the need to form self-help groups and detailed how these groups function. She and other members also gave more business ideas based on the skills the ladies already possess such as making pickles, ghee, papad and other delicacies. The ladies were given assurance of support in forms of supplying raw material, training and marketing. To motivate the women and to give them visibility, Cemo discussed the possibility of hiring a stall at the forthcoming Poush Mela, one of the most popular fairs in Eastern India. Later, the team proceeded to Islampur Prathomik Bidyalaya, the local primary school premises, where the tree planting took place. Wire guards were places around the seedlings to protect them from goats and cows. The Cemo team took leave assuring next visit soon which would include a workshop on Kantha work by Cemo Member Enu Bhattacharya.
Cemo members Anuradha and Arundhati who hosted the team in their houses in Shantiniketan made sure the stay was comfortable. Their gracious and warm hospitality helped the members relax and take the difficult weather in stride. Cemo owes much success of this trip to these two warm and caring hearts and gives them BIG THANKS.
The team returned to Kolkata on August 8.
The Tadoba - Andhari Tiger ReserveMarch 10th 2011
Two CEMO members, Purnima Dutta and Anuradha Mitra, set out for the Tiger Reserve from Nagpur's Pride Hotel at 8.30a.m.on 10th March, 2011. The distance to the forest is 100kms, and it took 3 hrs. to reach the Tiger Trail Jungle Lodge Resort, which is just beside the forest gate. The resort is spread over 32 acres of semi-forest land . There is a watering hole few yards away from the gate which we were told is frequented by wild animals at night and sometimes in the morning! We were also warned not to go outside the gate in the evening and early morning, and definitely not into the forest. These warnings were given with a warm smile and a cool drink by our host Aditya. He also raised our hopes of sighting the Paradise Flycatcher in the Bamboo groves in the resort.
At lunch we met the other guests, mainly foreigners. Aditya showed us video clippings of animals coming to the resorts watering hole at night. We saw a tiger, a Sloth Bear, a Honey Badger, a mongoose, and a family of Civet Cats coming for a drink! He has installed video cameras all around the watering hole and along the path the animals take. They are on 24 hrs.We shared the table with a couple from South Africa, who had come to watch the World Cup Cricket Match between India and South Africa,to be held in Nagpur on the 12th. They were extremely friendly, and very eager to go on the afternoon safari in the heat. All four of us left for the safari in the same jeep.
The Tadoba Andhari Forest has the unique distinction of being the first National Park of the Maharashtra State. It was in 1955 when it achieved this distinction, and in 1995 the Tiger Reserve was officially created to protect the tiger. The tiger reserve stretches across 625 square kms. of completely uninhabited, undisturbed dense forest.
As we entered the forest we felt the heat and the dryness. The main vegetation on either side of the road was dry bamboo groves interspersed with dry deciduous trees. The ground was thickly carpeted with the fallen bamboo leaves. The bleakness of the landscape was brightened by the flaming red flowers of the Palash and the Silk Cotton Trees(Shimul). The jeep sped along the wide road at great speed and we were wondering how we will see any animals in this way! We drove for 15 minutes and then he slowed into jungle path on the left. This path was very narrow and we had to be alert to avoid the overhanging branches hitting our faces. The path ended at a watering hole and we waited quietly for sometime for the king of the forest to come for a drink! No luck. We went in search of other watering holes on the right side of the road and our luck followed us. Suddenly, as we were slowly going along a path on the left Craig saw a movement in the undergrowth. There was a black animal moving around under the bamboo groves. It looked like a bear and it was making a lot of noise as his weight crunched the dry bamboo leaves. We waited to take a better look but it disappeared. We could hear his movements though. Now the driver and the guide woke up into action! The jeep went into reverse gear and started to slowly back out from this narrow path. As we came out onto the wide main road we saw the sloth bear emerge from the thick forest cover. It was oblivious of our presence and slowly started to saunter across the wide open road. We started taking pictures with great excitement!. Suddenly a private car rushed at full speed towards the bear. This is most unethical in a forest and totally against the rules. The bear was shocked, and galloped to the opposite forest cover, much against its slothy nature. We were very annoyed , and told our driver to note down that car's number. We reported it at the gate, though we knew nothing much will happen. Our great excitement at the dinner table was drowned by the smug smiles of the other group. They had seen the TIGER! We consoled ourselves that the bear is rarely seen in any other forest, and retired for the day.
The next day, the 11th of March, we left for the safari at 6.15 a.m.. This time we had the jeep to ourselves entirely. It was quite chilly. Dawn was just breaking but it was still dark and misty all around. There was a tingling feeling of anticipation as we entered the forest. We saw a beautiful bird sitting on the wire above. As we came near it and took some pictures we knew it was the "Black Shouldered Kite". The car sped towards a new route today. The driver and the guide were determined to show us the Tiger today! The wide road climbed on to a plateau and the car proceeded slowly. The area was flat as a table top, covered with tall, dry grass and a few trees. After a little survey we parked the car near the edge of the plateau, overlooking a watering hole and waited. It was a beautiful place. Unfortunately , we couldn&t wait much longer as it was getting hotter by the minute in the sun. We visited almost all the watering holes the driver knew, with no luck . At the end of this wide road is the vast Tadoba Lake, almost 6kms.in length. There were many water birds like the Whistling Teal, Black-Headed Ibis, Snipes, Black Storks and others. At one end of the lake we saw a group of Chitals, or the Spotted Deer, Sambhars , and Wild Boars having a drink. We noticed that this jungle had a very good prey base, so the Tiger is well fed. Surprisingly, we did not hear any alarm calls during the duration of our stay in the jungle.
After lunch we went to the cool verandah of a cottage and started bird-watching. There was an old Palash Tree( The Flame of the Forest) in full bloom with flaming red flowers. We saw the Prinia, and the Purple Sunbird feasting on the flowers. They were soon joined by the Warblers and the Tailor Birds. A Plum-headed Parakeet alighted on a neighbouring Palash tree and started to gorge on the just-opening buds. A Roseringed Parakeet had the same idea.
The 12th of March morning was our last trip into the jungle. We were ready early and came out to have tea in the patio while it was still dark. The stillness of dawn, the call of the Night jars, the mist shrouding the trees added to our excitement! The mother and the daughter duo accompanied us today. The mother is from Switzerland, and the daughter works in London. They love to come to India for their holidays. Soon after we entered the forest we saw a pack of wild dogs playing with their cubs on the road. Wild dogs are rarely seen in other forests. We waited and took pictures till they left the area. Again we went to the plareau, the lake, and the watering holes. We saw the barking deer near one of the watering holes. We did not see a wide variety of birds in this forest. The most common were the Indian Magpie Robin, filling the forest with their melodious songs, and the spotted dove.
A distinctive feature of this park is that there is one wide main road which cuts through the forest, literally. Small lanes lead off from this road to the watering holes in the jungle which are few yards away. Most lanes end at the watering holes. One or two roads meander through the thick bamboo forest and come back to the main road. This is mainly dry deciduous forest, dominated by bamboo groves, but near the lake,or streams, or watering holes the surrounding area has lush, green tall trees, and grass where we often saw the herbivores grazing. It is a beautiful forest. However, the infrastructure needs to improve. The guides, too, need more instructions on identifying the birds and the movement of animals.
The Illustrated History of Birds of IndiaAugust 28th 2010
Presented by Bikram Grewal
It was a fascinating journey through the centuries, that Bikram Grewal, scion of the House of Gauripur, took CEMO members and several invited guests at a special evening of art history at the residence of Jayanta and Arundhati Chatterjee.
The reputed ornithologist Bikram Grewal whose camera work and books deeply researched, written and published, gives him a just claim to step into the shoes of the legendary Salim Ali.
The Illustrated history of Birds of India was a slide presentation of the treasures in India that perhaps need to be made more public. Starting from the pre-historic Caves of Bhimbetks which can be dated as far back as 30,000 -20,000 years ago, we were shown rock cut engravings of a bird which the earliest cave dwellers had etched for posterity. The Bhimbetka Cave drawings and paintings only discovered as recently as 1957-58 has galleries of drawings and rock cut engravings of scenes of every day life of those early communities with an emphasis on scenes of hunting and fighting against ferocious animals.
A drawing of a bird amongst hundreds of other such carvings that Grewal picked out as a slide made it indeed a very rare viewing.
Birds have fascinated artists through the ages but the collection of drawing and paintings came to a peak during the Mughal period especially during the time of Akbar and Jahangir. The Manuscript illustrations of the Babarnama and the Jahangirnama are exquisite, and the court patronizing these artists especially the likes of Mansur and his atelier brought out a profusion of studies of birds, some known birds that can be identified and others as imaginary and exotic. There is also one on the DODO now an extinct bird, but the fact that a Mughal painting of that bird as drawn by the court artist gives one to believe that this bird was there in those times.
Jahangir was known for his love of rare and exotic animals and birds and maintained a large menagerie, and would pay any price to get a rare specimen in his collection. He would then get the court artist to draw and paint a true representation of the animal or bird.
The British Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London has all these collections, and some have found their way into private collections. Grewal spent much time in pursuing his passion and following the trail of these collections into the library at Cambridge and dug out pages of history on these paintings never before seen or read.He said that Calcutta had the privilege in the 18th century to have had Lady Impey the wife of Sir Elijah Impey the first Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court commission an artist to draw and paint bird studies , 96 of them which she took with her to London and sold them all.
It is a pity that it could not have been left behind for posterity here in Calcutta for generations to see and know of the birds that were seen in and around Middleton Street where the Impeys lived.
Zoffany painted a happy family portrait of Sir Impey, Lady Impey and the 3 children.
Grewal has published an Atlas of Birds of Delhi and its environs.It would be recommended for all to get to see the book, and keep one for CEMO library.
The evening ended with everyone wishing for more from Bikram and his camera, and it was with great pleasure that CEMO welcomed both Sumit Sen (who has helped CEMO tremendously as an advisor and completed the Census of the peacocks in Raajhat, Hooghly District) and Bikram Grewal to become Patrons of CEMO and immediately with the help of our young members Rohini Sen and Sudeshna Sharma pinned on their lapels our CEMO badge.
A Tryst With The Avian World - Jurong Bird Park
Arundhati Chatterjee
If you are an avid bird lover dying to see the exotic feathered 'beauties' of the world, then take a trip to Jurong Bird Park in Singapore to get a glimpse of over 8000 birds belonging to over 600 species in a capsule. Be it the South American Taucan or the Australian Rainbow Lory, the African Shoe-billed Stork ot the Antartic King Penguins, you will find them all in a 202 square metre park which has been created and designed to suit their natural habitat.
Repeated invitation from a childhood friend prompted me to fly to Singapore with the sole intention of visiting Jurong. And I am so happy I was able to as my experiences surpassed all my expectations from Jurong.
You cannot hold back your excitement when you see a Bird of Paradise flapping its wings -- to start a dance.Or, when you see a flock of Pink Flamengoes basking under the sun, occasionally dipping their heads into the water to catch a fish or two for their mid-day meals. Was it a dream?
Take a walk or ride a Panorail to reach your chosen destination for bird-watching.
The 9-storied Lory-loft provides a unique experience. Lory-loft is world's largest walk-in free-flight aviary with over a thousand brilliantly coloured Rainbow Lories enjoying themselves in the Rainforest of Northern Australia created under simulated conditions at Jurong. Really, it was a treat for the eyes.
The African wetlands, the Pelican Cove and the World of Darkness are the other unforgettable experiences. Can you imagine standing in front of a 'grumpy' Shoe-billed Stork or an elusive Saddled-bill? Yes, they all there in Jurong !!
But the icing on the cake are the amazing ' Bird Shows' held four times a day. One will be astounded by the agility and intelligence of the avian species.
My only lament was my inability to spend as much time as I would have have loved to in this wonderful World of Birds which is a must for all bird lovers.
Chintamoni Kar Bird Sanctuary
What a wonderful morning's trip to the Chintamoni Kar Bird Sanctuary this morning.
Thank you Kajol for talking about your own visit last Sunday, where you mentioned that you had seen almost all the birds except the Paradise Fly Catcher. Well, Purnima, Anuradha and I were there before 7am, and we saw the two birds which we had hoped to see . The Brown Fish Owls, and ofcourse the dream of every Bird watcher..the Paradise Fly catcher.
We saw actually a pair, but not for long as it flew away into the thicket. We waited patiently and tried to trail it but were not lucky, but we got the glimpse of it long enough, and saw it fly away gracefully with its long white tail training.
However another avid bird watcher with whom we had a long conversation Soma Jha, whom Purnima has been having email contact for quite some time on her treks and hikes and the birds she has viewed, we came face to face with her at the bird Sanctuary this morning, and she had caught the Paradise Fly Catcher on her camera, and she showed it to us. Just superb.
Purnima took a great picture of the Fish owls, great big birds with an impressive wing span and glaring eyes.
The pair were seated like meditating Yogis on a fork of a giant mango tree, and the Park supervisor called our attention to its perch, and with eyes straing to see it, we finally took stock of its position, and I just watched them on the binocs, whilst Purnima took several shots. One of them she called"the one eyed owl as it only showed one side of its face to us, and so we could see only one eye.
the other one was actually gazing down at us, and the shot Purnima has is a full face shot.
Anuradha saw the orange thrush, and we saw the fantail though not so clearly through the foliage.
It was a lovely morning with the Park resounding with varieties of musical bird calls.
The Oriole's voice was most recognizeable as we saw several of them flying through the branches of giant trees.
The mango trees in the Sanctuary were heavily laden with ripe mangoes, and at almost every step we took, ripe mangoes kept falling at our feet from above, dropping down with a heavy thus. I picked up a bag full, close to 2 kgs, and it was deliciously sweet I must say "Ghas Paka", with no carbide ripening strategies used in the markets by fruit sellers.
I can only say, that like after sighting a tiger you only WANT MORE, so also with just a fleting glimpse of that gloriously beautiful bird the PFC, we only WANT MORE, and so dear members get up early, take your binocs, camera and a glass of drinking water, and head for the Chintamoni Kar sanctuary, not at all far away, now that the EM Bypass has brought the Southern outskirts of the city so close to us. The lane leading to the Sanctuary is bang opposite the Entrance Gates of the Ramakrishna Mission of Narendrapur.
Bird watchers do take a trip. It does such good to your soul.
The Jungle Calls - The Jungles of Bandhavgarh and Kanha
The forests are silent deep and dense with trees and foliage, an entire universe waiting for you to enter it, only if you strictly observe the rules of the jungle.
Under the Project Tiger Programme established in 1973, twenty-seven National Parks and Tiger Sanctuaries were marked out across the country. If a first timer entering the forests, you are utterly unaware as to what you will find within, and well that is so, for the magic world unfurls its wonder at every step. (though you are strictly forbidden to step down from the jeep when you are inside the reserve.) You see and sense the pristine nature of the forest and realize that it has existed the way it is for tens of thousands of years even before man came to exist. There is no touch of human interference in the way the forest may have grown or died. But the Forest Department has made the forest receive tourists from all over the world to enjoy the beauty of the forest in all its glory at various seasons, and with it the wild life in which it abounds. This is the essence of Eco-tourism. Sunlight is filtering through the tall tress and the air is still cool and almost chilly with the receding night dew, and the forest awakens with the chirping of birds that flit from tree to tree.
You listen keenly trying to identify the sounds and you crane your neck upwards to see the moving birds. Yes, you see a sunbird, or a bee eater, or the drongo with its split tail and the more lovely racket-tailed drongo with its melodious call flitting away.
The guide in the jeep imitates its call, and you are amazed to hear its sweet response immediately.
Suddenly the forest resounds with a very loud sound of an animal, the guide tells you that it is the call of a stag in rut. It is a strident almost frantic call, and you want to know if there will be an answering response to that , but no there is none.
The floor of the forest is covered with a carpet of rust brown leaves that have been shed in the winter months. These forests in Madhya Pradesh come under the range of the dry deciduous forest type, and in Spring starting from early March, the bare trees will suddenly be covered with fresh green leaves and above a canopy of a soothing green covers the horizon as you drive through.
This is rejuvenation time of new births, and the herds of spotted deer have their fawns frisking behind their mothers, the Sambhar deer a bigger smooth skinned deer species also flock in herds. They are all seeking the juicy green grass or leaves, and then you come across large troupes of langur monkeys, the black faced and long tailed ones that jump and swing from the top of the trees , and you see a strange phenomenon, A langur on a tree is bending a branch of a tree low enough for the spotted deer below to rise on its hind legs to reach up to the tempting green leaves. It seems still a bit beyond its reach as the light breeze swings it away ; then a really remarkable thing happens… from the top of the tree the langurs start breaking branches full of leaves and throwing them to the ground for the waiting deer. This affinity and bond between these two animals in the forest , one witnesses a number of times through the drive in the jeep.
It also is seen in a more direct way when the lord of the jungle…the Tiger makes a move out of its resting place to find a prey for its meal , or even just walking through the jungle… a cacophony of chatter is set up by the monkeys in the tree which is then taken up by a male deer that gives out that clear alarm call, and the herds of deer freeze in motion, and suddenly break out helter skelter to leap and bound away into areas of safety. The tiger loses its meal, and the guide tells us that the tiger more often than not finds the hunt ending unsuccessfully.
Spring time is flower time too. The most amazing colours of red and orange set the forests aflame with their vibrant hues. Row after row of the Palash and Kingshuk make the forests too brilliant even to imagine. There is the even more gorgeous Kusum tree with its maple-shaped leaf all aglow with its pinkish red leaves which will become flowers soon.
Butterflies with their black and red wings, yellow and blue spotted almost as big as small birds are flitting everywhere to sip the nectar from the flower laden trees and then you pass by tree after tree with giant honeycombs which are so huge that it is just being weighed to the ground. A single tree we saw with 10 such giant honey combs and they are left thus never to be touched.
How rich is the treasures of the forests, and how intricate the chain in the eco-system.
I wish everyone who can, visits the forests in India and find the peace and tranquility deep within here, and go back a better human being.
The Trip to Corbett National Park
On the 5th of March, 2009, 26 pieces of luggage and 12 eager travelers got on to the Ranikhet Express at 10.30 p.m from Old Delhi Station. We reached Ramnagar Station at 5.00 a.m. Three jeeps came to pick us up and we were off to our camp on the edge of the Corbett National Park. The camp, Fork Tail Creek, is high on the hillside, surrounded by thick sal forests. The sprawling property has a number of fruit and flowering trees. It was springtime and we were rewarded by the beautiful sight of Crimson Breasted Sunbirds feeding on the flowers. The photographers were immediately clicking away, capturing the colourful, twittering birds. The day was spent exploring the camp.
The next morning, 7th March, at 5.30 a.m we left the camp for a trip to the Corbett National Park. Dawn was just breaking. The road through the thick jungle was clothed in mist, and was eerie and dark. We were all looking at the sides to spot any wildlife, if possible. We entered the park through the Dhangari Gate. The binoculars and cameras were in place in the hope of a good sighting. We saw lots of birds, some deer, sambars and monkeys. After awhile we stopped for breakfast in a secluded area of the forest. It was served on the jeep’s bonnet! We were thrilled, but also apprehensive whether we would become breakfast for the tiger! It was one of the most delightful experiences we had.
We roamed the park till lunchtime. Ritesh, our tour manager, had arranged for packed lunch, which we had under a huge tree in the Bijrani Forest Rest house compound. Four of us, who were first time visitors, were allotted the lone elephant for the trip into the forest. We were lucky to spot the tiger, a huge male, in the undergrowth. It was a wonderful experience and couldn't stop talking about it !
These are just few of the birds spotted on the fist day:-
Serpent Eagle, Green Bee-eater, Stone Chat, Whoopoe, Plum-Headed parakeet, Changeable Hawk Eagle, Red headed vulture, Black-headed Oriole, Bush Chat, Shama.
We left camp the next day and headed for Gairal Forest rest house, in the Corbett National Park. It is beside the Ramganga River. After depositing the luggage we made a trip into the forest looking for the elusive tiger. Like the day before we mainly saw spotted deer, sambhar and birds.
A forest officer in a jeep came from the opposite direction and warned us that a long, agitated tusker was roaming around here. It was suggested that we should turn and go back, but Rittesh self confident to go slowly ahead. We arrived in Dhikala safely, but realized that one jeep was missing. We were wondering whether that third jeep may have encountered the tusker. Our apprehension was right. After awhile the lost third party arrived. They narrated that the tusker had suddenly come out of the bush and had chased them for quite some time and had cutoff their escape route.
After lunch at the forest tourist house in Dhikala, four of us went on an elephant ride with the fond hope of sighting the tiger. We had a hilarious ride. The howdah was not properly fixed and the weight of the riders could not be balanced. After a few moments one side of the howdah started to tilt to about 45 degrees and since there was not even the metal bar securing the riders from slipping off, we tried to wriggle back into the original position without much success. Instead of watching out for wild animals we were busy hanging on to the howdah! The jeep riders had some luck. They saw a herd of wild elephants on the road, which followed them for awhile.
9th March, we were up at 5.00 a.m and had quick gulps of hot tea on the verandah. The forest around was strangely silent with only the sound of the gurgling Ramganga river below. As we set off in the semi darkness there was a sense of thrill and anticipation of a sighting. Fifteen pairs of eager eyes were searching the jungle for the elusive big cat. We roamed around for three hours but had no luck. We stopped for breakfast at the Dhikala Rest house. We met several groups who have been lucky today and yesterday. We really felt sad. The rest of the day was the same.
Today we are leaving Gairal, but everybody was up at dawn to have another trip in the forest. In their eagerness to show us the tiger, Ritesh and his men toured all parts of the forest, even that part which is rarely visited by the outsiders. The forest was just awesome. We, for sometime, forgot about the tiger as the beauty of the forest engulfed us. We have never seen Corbett Forest like this before.
