Bird Walk at ELCOT Lake (Perumbakkam), Chennai, TN

Twenty birders joined guide Adharsh Bharathi V at ELCOT Lake in Perumbakkam, Chennai, on 11 October for a walk that had everything going for it, including a fresh start: it had just rained about ten minutes before the group gathered, leaving the air cool and the lake sparkling. Adharsh, who has watched the birds of this wetland for almost three years, knew exactly what to look for, and the participants arrived almost on time, so the walk began at 6:45 am sharp with everyone excited about the species they were about to see. The group recorded 63 species, many in good numbers at the same time. They began with the bird on the poster, the Pied Avocet, which is rare and can only be seen at this time of year, and the sight of its elegant upturned bill drew a round of applause. The Greater Flamingos were another crowd favourite, adding a wash of pink to the wetland, and the Green Sandpiper, Temminck’s Stint, Ruff and Redshanks kept the waders section of the list lively. A Striated Heron stalking the edge of the water and a Eurasian Spoonbill sweeping its bill through the shallows added more highlights. Adharsh explained how these birds depend on the wetland as a stopover on their long journeys and why places like ELCOT Lake matter so much to them. The combination of a cool morning, good light and rich birdlife made the walk a pleasure from start to finish. Participants left with new species, great photographs and a deeper bond with the wetland on the edge of Chennai.