An European roller, a passage migrant, takes a stopover in the western ghats
Pune: Birders from the Pune Birding Community recorded 254 bird species during a day-long birding marathon held across multiple hotspots in the Pune region on Oct 10, marking Wild Bird Day. “Over 100 birders from the Pune Birding Community came together for a day-long birding marathon and spotted more than 250 species in a single day. “Some participants undertook full-day birding marathons and recorded around 100 species individually.
It was a collaborative birding experience, with birders cheering each other on as new sightings came in from different sites,” said Sumiti Saharan, one of the organisers and an admin of the Pune Birding Community (PBC). Arjit Jere, a nature educator and participant, said the marathon aimed to cover as many habitats and species as possible through a collective effort. There were experienced birders as well as new ones, ranging from seven-year-olds to seventy-somethings. Among the notable sightings was the Eurasian hobby, a long-distance passage migrant, and fast-flying raptor that passes through Maharashtra during its journey from the Himalayas and Central Asia. ”