Bird Walk at Adyar River Trail, Chennai, TN

Twenty-one birders joined guide Francis Anish along the Adyar River Trail in Chennai on 10 October for an evening walk that began at 4 pm, when the sun was mild and a lovely breeze was blowing along the river. The group was greeted at the start by several Barn Swallows swooping over the water and a White-browed Wagtail strutting along the bank, and the trail kept delivering from there. Over the course of the walk they recorded 44 species, a delightful tally for a riverside corridor in the middle of the city. Along the water they spotted White-breasted Waterhen, Grey-headed Swamphen, Eurasian Moorhen, Indian Spot-billed Duck, Medium Egret, Black-crowned Night Heron and a secretive Cinnamon Bittern, while the greenery along the path offered Indian Peafowl, Grey Francolins, Rose-ringed Parakeets, Red-vented Bulbuls, Pale-billed Flowerpecker and Purple-rumped Sunbird. A Black Kite soared overhead and Red-wattled Lapwings called from the open ground. The migratory visitors were the real treat of the evening. A Pacific Golden-Plover, Yellow-wattled Lapwing, Blue-tailed Bee-eaters and Wood Sandpipers confirmed that the season of long-distance travellers has begun, and participants were thrilled to watch so many of them at close range. Francis shared tips on identification, calls and behaviour, and the group enjoyed the gentle pace and golden light of the evening stroll. It was a memorable way to see how much wildlife shares a corner of Chennai with its people, and to leave with a new appreciation for the river and its birds, and many headed home already planning to return with friends and family.