ABOUT US

Deb and I are avid birders and naturalists. We have rediscovered our passion for all things wild after we moved to Kolkata in 2011. Kolkata is a haven for nature enthusiasts like us as the people here are animal friendly and appreciate nature more than in any other city. Birding clubs, Nature Watch organisations and NGOs abound. One such NGO that we are proud to be associated with is "The Junglees" that on a regular basis plans awareness drives, pro-conservation activities and anti-poaching campaigns. Mr. Raja Chatterjee, the man at the helm of its affairs is a very vocal and hearty activist who is very passionate about conservation. He regularly organizes trips into the wild and has had a guiding influence on me. It is he who has encouraged me to write , in particular about conservation and I have him to thank for this blog. Another source of inspiration is Mr. Shubhankar Patro, founder of Sunday Watch, and member of Prakriti Sanshad, who is a veteran in this field with immense knowledge about flora and fauna around Kolkata.

Deb is a Molecular Microbiologist who spends his days immersed in the world of DNA, Microorganisms and Molecular Diagnosis. He is obsessed with gadgets and is a walking encyclopedia of all things electronic. Photography and exploring the nature is a common passion that we share. As for me a weekend spent birding is the best way to beat the stress after a hectic week of work. We make the most of our Sundays visiting nearby forests, wetlands, grasslands and paddy fields which are in abundance in and around Kolkata.

Our successful partnership stems from the fact that we share the same discipline and background, having both graduated in Biotechnology from the same college in the same batch. While I hold a Masters Degree in Bio-medical Genetics from VIT university, Tamil-Nadu, Deb went on to pursue his higher education from Sheffield Hallam University, United Kingdom. He has been a steady friend, a supporting companion and a pillar of support ever since he stepped into my life. I spent most of my weekends during our college days at his home in the company of his parents.

We used to visit the paddyfields and waterbodies in and around Alwal and Kukatpally exploring the terrain looking for organism of interest. Deb had managed to rescued a Male Star Turtle and  we spent the whole summer nurturing it back to good health. The trip to Hyderabad Zoo where we donated "Lattu" was phenomenal as the vet was kind enough to let me hold a Jaguar cub that was kept in quarantine. "Poopy" a bat with a damaged wing became a resident for a few weeks the following winter. After a good rain he would get into pools of stagnant water to collect tadpoles which he grew in his home laboratory. Through out his childhood, Deb rescued pups and kittens on a regular basis although they were not allowed into the house, they were his foster street-strays whom he fed regularly. He still does that even now feeding stray dogs and cats in our neighborhood. Recently we had adopted 4 stray pups that were in a pretty bad shape  for a couple of weeks till they were strong enough to be let out.

My history with birds goes way back to my school days. My study-room window overlooked our backyard garden which was my favorite spot in the house. We had Mango, Guava, Lemon, Bannana, Pappaya, Jackfruit and Sapodilla Trees. We had a variety of hibiscus shrubs scattered throughout the garden. An Indian Black Berry Tree dominated one corner, its branches ladden with berries overhanging our garden. This and my father's vegetable patch was frequented by birds throughout the year. Many a summer afternoon was spent looking out of the window at our backyard visitors which included Sparrows, Tailor Birds, Sunbirds, Drongoes, Bulbuls, White Throated Fantails, Oriental Magpie Robins, Parakeets, Mynahs, Jungle Babblers, Greater Coucals, Wood-Peckers, Owls, Bats, Squirrels, Rhesus monkeys, Mongoose, Hanuman Langurs and Wild Cats. I used to be captivated by the sight of Asian Paradise Fly Catchers. Sometimes I used to think that the bird was in my imagination for it always used to vanish by the time I dragged my mother to the window. I used to explore the garden for snails, garden lizards, geckos, newts and salamanders. Occasionally a snake would have me running back to the house.

This intrinsic pull towards nature was one of the reasons why I chose biology as my stream of study. My Botany Teacher had a profound influence on my mindset. He used take us on field trips into the woods that surround our colony. He used to point out interesting trees, leaves and different types of phyllotaxy observed among the plants. We used to collect the specimens for herbarium in these trips. These formative years were also spent watching Discovery and NGC. Its this collective influence that had planted a seed which has now blossomed into a full-blown passion for exploring the wild.

We have thus joined the worldwide community of enthusiastic birders and nature lovers who make trips armed with DSLRs and Primes, bynocs and guidebooks, who feverishly identify and documents all things sighted. The number of "lifers" spotted determines the level of success of each trip. A detailed "Trip Report" then follows and many a debate about the authenticity of the findings ensue. Bengal Birds, Indian Birds, Sunday watch our tribe can be found every where...Exchanging news of rare birds spotted, celebrating new findings, sharing pics and having heated discussion on birding ethics forms the epithet of these online communities.
I started this Blog to chronicle our journey but I have soon realized it is also a great way to spread awareness and generate interest. I hope the younger generation will be inspired by our experience and stories and be more nature aware.....Am going to be posting more on our activities and try to compile more information....