2025-10-16

Wings of Awareness is an amateur bird watching and naturalist training programme implemented by the Tropical Institute of Ecological Sciences (TIES) conceived and supported by Buimerc India Foundation. The initiative is designed to help school students rediscover their bond with nature by offering experiential learning opportunities that promote observation, curiosity, and environmental stewardship. Through its structured phases, the programme aims to shape young minds into conscious citizens who appreciate and protect biodiversity.The project is implementing across 20 schools in Kottayam District, engaging around 1,000 students and 60 teachers

The bird watching session held for the students of Government U.P. School, Ericadu marked the second phase of this ongoing initiative. Building upon the introductory orientation conducted earlier, this session provided students with a hands-on field experience to explore and identify birds in their natural surroundings.

The activity was organized at the serene wetlands of Ambattu Kadavu, Puthuppally, an ideal setting teeming with avian life. Selected students and teacher coordinators participated with remarkable enthusiasm, making the session lively and engaging. Before setting out, a group photograph was taken to commemorate the day’s learning journey.

The field session began with an insightful briefing by Mr. Ajayan Kumar M.N, Ornithology Expert at TIES. He familiarized the participants with the essential ethics of bird watching, emphasizing patience, respect for wildlife, and discipline in the field. His guidance on bird identification and observation techniques helped the students approach the activity with awareness and confidence.

As the group ventured across the wetlands, the students observed around twenty different species of birds, including the Little Egret, Purple Swamphen, Intermediate Egret, Blue-tailed Bee-eater, Whiskered Tern, and several other local and migratory species. Their attentiveness and eagerness to learn turned the morning into a vibrant exploration of life beyond the classroom walls.

To conclude the session, Ms. Suhaana, Project Officer of Wings of Awareness, introduced the participants to the CROW(Children's Resources for Ornithology and Wilderness)   App, a digital citizen science tool developed by TIES. She demonstrated how the app can be used to record bird sightings, helping transform individual observations into valuable data for scientific and conservation purposes. Ms. Suhaana also outlined the upcoming phases of the project and encouraged students to continue their birding efforts beyond the session.

The bird watching activity at Government U.P. School, Ericadu, was both an educational and inspiring experience. It deepened students’ understanding of their local environment, instilled a lasting curiosity about nature, and strengthened their role as young naturalists in the making.