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29 Mar 2024, Edition - 3181, Friday

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Weekend Special

What are you doing this Sunday ?

Covai Post Network

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If you are fond of Nature, head out birding with the Coimbatore Nature Society every Sunday.

At the crack of dawn, when the rest of the city is making up for lost sleep, a group of 15 to 20 people is up and ready for a date with Nature. They are members of the Coimbatore Nature Society, formed to encourage people to hit the outdoors, sight birds and appreciate Nature in all her bounty.

Their Sunday outings have been on for nearly three years now, every single week. A trip with the group teaches a lot —to be patient while waiting to sight a bird, to keep your eyes and ears open to the sounds of the forest, and to work as a group. Those who sight a bird first, enthusiastically call out or signal to the others, and don’t move till everyone has seen the bird.

The group now has about 50 members. Participation is voluntary. No one judges anyone’s knowledge. There is a healthy mix of experienced birders and absolute rookies. Some people drop off the trips for some weeks and return when they feel like, without any hesitation. “Our goal is to learn and promote learning. It is not about sighting a particular number of birds,” says group President P.R. Selvaraj.

Every year, the CNS takes part in the Great Backyard Bird Count and also the bird race conducted by SACON, Anaikatti. “Our members usually finish in the top bracket,” says Saravanan Natrayan, co-founder. Membership is voluntary and there is no fee involved.
At the end of every trip, the members tick off the birds they have sighted in an information sheet created for the purpose. Then, they set down to a hearty breakfast, a potluck of sorts, under the shade of a tree or near a water body. And, while the rest of the city is just getting ready to face a new day, they have had their dose of Nature and birds to help them tackle yet another week in the urban jungle.

For details, call CNS President P.R. Selvaraj at 98422-61279 or mail [email protected]

PHOTO CREDIT

Mr Theivaprakasham, Mr G Prakash

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