MADURAI : As a full-scale bird census was under way in Ramanathapuram by the forest department during the annual migratory season this year, a 56-year-old man, among the volunteers, was seen holding a camera, capturing pictures of the avian species, and disseminating knowledge about their origin, migration, and environmental significance.
A decade ago, N Raveendran, a Madurai-based environmentalist and a birdwatcher associated with ‘Iragugal’, a non-governmental organisation, decided to quit his high-paying job in an electric company and spend the rest of his life amidst nature. Travelling across Tamil Nadu, this self-taught shutterbug began exploring the feathered species and documenting his lessons along the way, in an attempt to spread the knowledge among younger generations.
“My journey started in 2010, after I helped out a relative on a school project regarding bird species. The event aroused a certain curiosity in me about the vivid varieties of birds, which led to the formation of a small birders’ club in Madurai,” says Raveendran, whose life took a turn following a road mishap in 2014, wherein he suffered partial loss of vision in his right eye.
“After the accident, I battled my shortcomings and continued both my job and journeys. In 2015, I made up my mind to shift my focus to birds and became a full-time environmentalist,” he adds.
Raveendran has so far spotted more than 250 bird species in Madurai alone, which is higher than those documented in censuses. “I have spotted rare species, including the Himalayan Griffon, Egyptian Vulture, Stone Chat, and many more. To my accomplishment, I became the first to record the Oystercatcher, which was spotted in Ramanathapuram this year, after a hiatus of nearly 35 years,” adds a proud Raveendran, who had assisted the district forest department in carrying out territorial and wetland bird censuses this year.
In addition to clicking pictures and carrying out surveys of the winged species, Raveendran, a graduate in Ornithology, also finds time to document his findings and conduct in-depth studies about the migration patterns of these birds. He has organised periodic nature walks and bird watching drives to create awareness among people, with special emphasis on children.
“Every year, Iragugal NGO conducts summer classes for school and college students about the importance of migratory birds, endangered species and the need to ensure their survival. Even during the Covid-19 pandemic, they managed to continue their classes virtually via online platforms such as ‘Mr Owls Classroom’ and others,” he added.
According to him, Madurai and Ramanathapuram, in spite of being known as dry regions, witness the arrival of thousands of birds during migratory seasons every year.
“In Madurai, one can spot a wide array of bird population in various tanks like Samanatham, Avaniyapuram, and Vandiyur. Even flamingoes were spotted the previous year. Over the years, apart from the Tamil Nadu coastal belt, our team of like-minded individuals has begun activities — focusing on studying bird species, their migration, and other environmental aspects — in neighbouring states too. We have also formed a similar team to protect bio-heritage sites like Idayapatti in Madurai,” says Raveendran. His aim is to create awareness among the next generation to protect the environment, document wildlife, heritage sites, and keep them safe for a world yet to come.