A team of birdwatchers have documented the first-ever photographic record of the Australasian Grass Owl (Tyto longimembris) in Farakka Important Bird Area (IBA) confirming its distribution in Bengal.
On a sunny morning on 14 May, 2024, at Kargil Beach (21.571°N, 88.201°E), Bakkhali, South 24 Parganas, West Bengal, I set out with hopes of capturing some striking photographs of waders in their breeding plumage, such as the Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres, Tibetan Sand-Plover A. atrifrons, and Greater SandPlover A. leschenaulti, among others.
ওই যে ছোটবেলায় মা যেমন ‘কাগের দলা- বগের দলা’ করে খাওয়াতো আমাদের সেইরকমই পরম যত্নআত্তি করে প্রকৃতিপাঠের মতে বিষয়টিকে সত্তর-আশির দশকে বাঙালির ঘরে ঘরে কিশোর- কিশোরীদের সামনে তুলে ধরেছিলেন জীবন সর্দার। একটানা চল্লিশ বছর ধরে সন্দেশ পত্রিকায় বেরিয়েছে ‘প্রকৃতি পড়ুয়ার দপ্তর’- যা আশেপাশের ঝোপঝাড়, বনজঙ্গলের প্রতিবেশীদের জন্যে কচিকাঁচা-দের মনে স্থায়ী জায়গা তৈরি
In our rapidly urbanizing world, society is increasingly losing sight of the need for harmony with the natural environment.
Achieving balance with nature — in communities, landscapes, biodiversity conservation, habitat connectivity, land use, and
green spaces — presents a significant challenge for fast-growing urban cities
The memoir reflects on his early attraction to nature, his childhood surrounded by animals, and how this passion evolved into
a life devoted to conservation. His career milestones include serving as Scientist and later as Director at the
Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), collaborating with India’s greatest ornithologist
Dr. Salim Ali, and working tirelessly to protect threatened species like the Great Indian Bustard
and Narcondam Hornbill.
After a wait of over four decades since Ripley’s 1982 edition of Synopsis of the Birds of India and Pakistan,
the Indian ornithological community finally has a monumental update — and it’s well worth the wait.
Birds of India – The New Synopsis, authored by the widely respected scientist Praveen J,
is nothing short of a landmark publication. Released in 2025, this book represents a huge leap forward
in the scientific documentation of Indian avifauna
Daragaon is a small village in Kalimpong District (WB), it is situated at 45 minutes driving distance from Kalimpong city and surrounded by dense vegetation and conifers and other large trees amidst Himalayan mountains. At the end of the village boundary starts a dense forest named “Mongchu Forest”. Part of which is administrated by Cinchona Board, which is a wing of WB Forest Department. Situated at an altitude of 1200mtr (approx 4000+ feet) this place is ideal habitat of different birds, raptors and wild animals.
The discovery of Nordmann’s Greenshank (Tringa guttifer) in Lothian Island in February 2022, followed by further sightings at Meidinagar – Hijli beach in East Midnapore in 2023 – prompted by telemetry data – confirmed the region’s importance as a wintering ground for this endangered species. A subsequent sighting at Lothian Island during the Coastal Bird Camp in 2024 strengthened this hypothesis. The second edition of the Coastal Camp, held during February 21 – 23 2025, aimed to further explore these protected islands as safe havens for migratory shorebirds.
Birding Adventure in North Sikkim From 22nd January to 27th January, 2025, I embarked on a birding adventure in North Sikkim, exploring the region’s stunning landscapes and diverse birdlife. Locations visited include Lachen, our base camp where we began our birding journey; Gurudongmar Lake, one of the world’s highest lakes known for its breath-taking beauty; and Mangan, which we returned to on the 26th via treacherous hilly roads and continued birding on the morning of the 27th January.
School of birds 2024
Workshop with Paschim Banga Kheria Sabar Kalyan Samity (A Keystone Foundation Project)
This workshop was conducted in collaboration with Keystone Foundation. We were hosted by Paschim Banga Kheria Sabar Kalyan Samity (PBKSKS) at their office in Deorang (Rajnoagarh), Purulia. The participants were a group of 42 children of the Kheria-Sabar community, a sect of the Munda Adivasi people. We used birdwatching, illustrations and puppetry as our tools to conduct the sessions. And the children participated wholeheartedly and with unending enthusiasm.