2025-10-18

Students of KTJM High School, Edamattom had an inspiring encounter with nature during a bird watching session conducted under the Wings of Awareness programme — an initiative of the Tropical Institute of Ecological Sciences (TIES) conceived and supported by Buimerc India Foundation.

The Wings of Awareness project seeks to cultivate a sense of curiosity, respect, and responsibility toward the natural world among school students. Designed as an amateur bird watching and naturalist training programme, it encourages young minds to step outdoors, observe their surroundings, and learn through direct interaction with biodiversity. The project is implementing across 20 schools in Kottayam District, engaging around 1,000 students and 60 teachers.

The session took place at the scenic Meenachil Bamboo Oxygen Park, a serene green haven that provided the perfect setting for the students to explore the avian diversity of their local landscape. The activity was led by Mr. Ajayan Kumar M.N, Ornithology Expert at TIES, and Ms. Megha M.M, Communication Officer, TIES, who together guided the participants through an immersive morning of exploration and discovery.

Mr. Ajayan Kumar began by introducing the basics of bird watching — from understanding bird behaviour and recognizing calls to identifying species through field characteristics. His engaging approach made learning both fun and practical, encouraging the students to observe mindfully and move through nature with respect and curiosity.

The session received strong support from the school’s teacher coordinators — Ms. Riya Jose, Ms. Anila Thomas, and Mr. Thomaskutty Francis — whose involvement ensured smooth organization and active participation from the students. The presence of Rev. Fr. Manoj Emmanuel, Headmaster of KTJM High School, added a special note of encouragement, as he too joined the students in their exploration of the park’s vibrant ecosystem.

As the group ventured through the lush bamboo groves and open stretches of the park, they spotted an array of fascinating bird species. Among the highlights were the Green wabler, Blue headed moorhen-Grey headed moorhen, Common cormorant-Cormorant species, Black ibis- Black headed ibis. Each sighting was met with excitement and awe, as the trainers helped the students learn to identify the birds by their features and behaviour.

The participants’ enthusiasm and curiosity filled the morning with energy and wonder.Through such initiatives, Wings of Awareness continues to inspire the next generation to view nature not as a distant subject of study,  but as a living, breathing classroom — one that teaches patience, curiosity, and the importance of conservation with every observation made.