—In the news— Compiled by Praveen J. Indian Federation of Ornithologists—an initiative to call for an “Iora watch” across Padmashri Zafar Futehally, at the request of Dr Dominique Karnataka where photographs of ioras Homberger, Secretary, International Ornithological Congress are requested, depicting the “side (IOC), has initiated a dialogue to explore the possibility of launching posture” showing head, neck, wings, H.L. Prakash a union of ornithologists from our region. He has requested Dr S. belly and tail and “back posture” Sri Lankan Iora A. Hussain to do the groundwork for creating a network by depicting the back of head, neck, upper Fig. 2. reaching out to amateurs and professionals across the country. back, both wings and the tail. Courtesy: BngBirds. Birdwatchers across peninsular India need to be alert to iora plumages, taking detailed notes and photographers wherever Pelagic birds blown inland by monsoon winds there is a suspicion of Marshall’s Iora plumages. Courtesy: BngBirds. The recent monsoon has seen a spate of pelagic birds on the Indian coasts, most reported being Lesser Frigate-birds Fregata Changlang district survey—photo documenting birds 1 ariel. One bird even managed to reach Ranganathittu near Tanmoy Ghosh and his associates conducted a biological survey Mysore (Karnataka), a good 150 km inland! Other pelagics include in the Tangsa Community Conservation Reserve of Changlang Masked Booby Sula dactylatra, Brown Skua Catharacta antarctica, district in eastern Arunachal Pradesh. They did an excellent photo Bridled Tern Sterna anaethetus and Brown Noddy Anous stolidus. documentation of many of the lesser-known bird species from Most of the sightings were made between 20.vi.2007–10.vii.2007. this region like Rufous-vented Laughingthrush Garrulax gularis, The following table lists all the pelagic bird sightings reported Spot-breasted Laughingthrush G. merulinus, Grey-headed from the Indian coast during this year’s rains in various e-groups. Parrotbill Paradoxornis gularis, etc. A detailed report is available at Readers should bear in mind that these are unchecked reports. the Kolkatabirds website. http://www.kolkatabirds.com/ hillbirdsofind/ Table 1. Pelagic bird sightings from Indian coasts in 2007 changlang.htm Species Date Location: Observer(s) Source Eaglenest—Vacations for Booby sp. 07.v Coloba, Mumbai, Maharashtra: K. B. Singh BirdsofBombay Conservation (VfC) Frigate-bird sp. 02.vi Marine Drive, Mumbai, Maharashtra: Mehboob (R. Naoroji) BirdsofBombay Lesser Frigate-bird 20.vi Aaranattukara, Thrissur dist., Kerala: P. O. Nameer KeralaBirder Ramana Athreya is Lesser (?) Frigate-bird 22.vi Vadakara, Kozhikode dist., Kerala: A. Merveed KeralaBirder running the VfC at Lesser Frigate-bird 24.vi Elliots Beach, Chennai, Tamil Nadu: Vageeshwar, A. Rajaram TamilBirds Eaglenest for the second Brown Noddy 27.vi Colaba, Mumbai, Maharashtra: B. Ali, M. Macker, N. Jamdar BirdsofBombay year in succession. This Bridled Tern 27.vi Colaba, Mumbai, Maharashtra: B. Ali, M. Macker, N. Jamdar BirdsofBombay programme has five Lesser Frigate-bird 29.vi Ranganathittu, Karnataka: Ajit Huilgol (S. Subramanya) BngBirds different batches of which Masked Booby 30.vi Kali River Lodge, Karwar, Karnataka: V. M. Raj BngBirds Lesser (?) Frigate-bird 02.vii Bommaiyarpalayam Beach, Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu: R. Ali TamilBirds two batches in March 2008 Brown Skua 09.vii Thiruvanathapuram, Kerala: S. Elamon, (Gopikrishnan) KeralaBirder are primarily targeted at Lesser Frigate-bird 10.vii Chavakkad Beach Thrissur dist., Kerala: P. O. Nameer KeralaBirder birds. Kaati Trust, Pune, Lesser Frigate-bird 09.viii Colaba, Mumbai, Maharashtra: K. B. Singh BirdsofBombay and the Bugun Welfare Society, Arunachal Pradesh, are organising this initiative to study the bio-diversity Confusing ioras – Karnataka Iora Watch of Eaglenest Sanctuary. For details, contact Ramana at Bird surveys in the Marikanive-Lakkihalli State Forest of [email protected]. Chitradurga district located in the remote corner of Karnataka by Dr S. Braving the rains and leeches—Silent Valley monsoon survey Subramanya (a.k.a. Subbu), has led to P. K. Uthaman led the monsoon survey of Silent Valley National a focus on the confusing plumage of Park in Kerala during the first week of August—the third survey A.K. Raju ioras, some of which were in the series after the summer and winter surveys in 2006. Twelve Marshall’s Iora photographed during these weekend birdwatchers braved the rains and leeches in the evergreen forests Fig. 1. forays. The photographs of certain to spend three field days at four base camps inside the national individuals matched very closely, if not totally, with Marshall’s park. The significant finding of the survey is the absence of several Iora Aegithina nigrolutea (Fig. 1), found in northern and north- common and easily detectable species like Small Sunbird Nectarinia western India, with a population in Salem district, Tamil Nadu, minima, Black Bulbul Hypsipetes leucocephalus and Emerald Dove while some other photographs matched the Sri Lankan Iora Chalcophaps indica from these wet habitats indicating an altitudinal Aegithina tiphia multicolor (Fig. 2), which is found in Sri Lanka, migration to less wet areas. Courtesy: KeralaBirder. southern Tamil Nadu and Kerala, up to about the Palghat (=Palakkad) Gap. These new developments have triggered Subbu Hebbal Lake in distress Much to the chagrin of Bangalore’s birding fraternity, Hebbal 1 It is worth a mention that Lesser Frigate-bird F. minor of the Handbook Lake, one of the largest wetland bodies (Ali & Ripley 1984) and other contemporary literature is called Great in the city, with an excellent avifauna to Frigate-bird in the recent guides of Grimmett et al. (1998) and boost, was leased out by the Bangalore Kazmierczak (2000). Least Frigate-bird F. ariel of Ali & Ripley (1984) Lake Development Authority (LDA) to Hebbal protest is now Lesser Frigate-bird in recent guides. This confusing Oberoi group for lake restoration. A nomenclature is enough to warrant a re-check of all these sightings to huge furor among activists saw several certify the exact species. press statements followed by a “candle- Uma Shankar 118 Indian Birds Vol. 3 No. 3 (May–June 2007) In the news light vigil” in front of the lake to mark the protest. Further to it, is not possible, the document may be printed and used. For there has been a set of dialogues between some of the senior Level 1 observations, one can simply send the records in the members of eco-groups and the Oberois. Post discussion, the text of an email. However, Level 2 participants should send eco-groups expressed their satisfaction in having impressed upon the Level 1 datasheet as soon as the first observations are in the Oberois on the need to have lake development done on sound ecological lines. However, it is to be seen how this translates into so that this can be compiled immediately. actions at ground level. Activists are also working towards tackling Results may be sent by email or by regular mail to: the much larger problem of LDA’s interest to lease out lakes for Citizen Science, National Centre for Biological Sciences, GKVK Campus, Bellary Road, Bangalore 560065, India. private management. Email: [email protected] MigrantWatch From the field The first nation-wide migrant watch programme by National Sangeeta Dhanuka and friends have photographed a female Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS) and Indian Birds has started Crimson-backed Sunbird Leptocoma minima in eclipse plumage at in full swing with more than hundred birdwatchers across the Nandi Hills near Bangalore on 12.viii.2007. This is perhaps the first country registering for the programme. The news was also time that this Western Ghats endemic is found outside normal publicized in regional and national dailies and has evoked good range. Courtesy: IndiaNaturePixs. response from bird enthusiasts. Dr.Suhel Qader, who is driving Everyone in Delhi seems to be after the Bristled Grassbird this initiative, publishes the updates frequently in the MigrantWatch Chaetornis striatus, which has been reported from Sultanpur and web page at http://www.ncbs.res.in/CitSci. Dadri wetlands. Several sightings have poured in from these MigrantWatch is a participatory activity in which volunteers localities after the first report for this season by Bill Harvey on across the country note the arrival and presence of nine bird species 4.vii.2007 Courtesy: Delhibird. that spend the winter in India. No special travel or effort is required Karnataka state had a new bird added to its list this year when other than noting the days on which the species is observed. The Sudhir Shivaram photographed a Rufous-fronted Prinia Prinia nine species have been chosen to keep the species list small and buchanani on 30.vi.2007 in Gaunahalli, Chitradurga district along manageable for the first year. These species are widely distributed, with S. Subramanya and Ashwini Kumar Bhat. Shashank Dalvi fairly common, can be found not far from where people live and and friends observed this species further north, around Badami, work (i.e., around cities, towns, villages, gardens, farms, campuses, on 27.v.2007. The bird was also spotted by Mike Prince and friends etc.), and winter over a relatively wide latitudinal range. These at Mydenahalli Blackbuck Reserve in Tumkur district on 12.viii.2007 nine species are: Northern Shoveller Anas clypeata, Marsh Harrier and 23.viii.2007 providing four sightings in four months—a typical Circus aeruginosus, Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola, Common case of a cryptic species that got overlooked until a sighting triggered Swallow Hirundo rustica, Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea, Brown everyone else to look for it. Courtesy: BngBirds. Shrike Lanius cristatus, Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros, Greenish Warbler Phylloscopus trochiloides and Rosy Starling Sturnus roseus. Trevor Price receives E. O. Wilson Naturalist Award There are two levels of participation. Dr Trevor Price, who has been studying the evolutionary biology Level 1. Keep an eye out for these nine species and note the of Indian birds for three decades, has been conferred with the date when it is first observed in the second half of 2007.