2026-09-26

As part of the ongoing environmental outreach initiative "Wings of Awareness," students from MGM NSS HSS, Lakkattoor, participated in an immersive birdwatching and ecological field orientation session organized by the Tropical Institute of Ecological Sciences (TIES) in collaboration with the Buimerc India Foundation.

The field session, conducted within and around the immediate premises of the school campus, was graced by the presence of Dr. Abraham Samuel, President of TIES. Guided by renowned Ornithologist and Nature Education Officer Mr. Sarath Babu, a total of 46 students explored the surrounding natural habitat, acquiring hands-on skills in avian identification, call monitoring, and observational techniques.

TIES Project Officer Arathi Sasidharan demonstrated the practical application of the CROW App. Through this digital citizen science portal, students were trained to record real-time species observations, enabling them to actively contribute field data toward local biodiversity documentation.

During the exercise, participants successfully observed and documented more than 20 distinct bird species in the vicinity, including the Rufous Treepie, Greater Coucal, Rose-ringed Parakeet, Pale-billed Flowerpecker, Long-billed Sunbird, White-cheeked Barbet, Ashy Woodswallow, Greater Racket-tailed Drongo, Red-whiskered Bulbul, Plum-headed Parakeet, Purple-rumped Sunbird, and Golden-fronted Leafbird.

The educational field trip saw active support from the school's faculty and parent community. Dedicated teacher coordinators Ms. Manju R. O, Ms. Soumya R. Nair, and Ms. Smruthy facilitated the logistics, while teacher-parents Mr. Girish M. G, Mr. Abhilash, and Ms. Revathy joined the session alongside their children. The workshop successfully bridged classroom concepts with experiential conservation learning, inspiring young participants to serve as active stewards of their surrounding ecosystems.