World Migratory Bird Day newsletter

First Event on the occasion of the World Migratory Bird Day in 2007!

Migratory birds in India have their peak in arrival in the winter season, i.e., October to early April.
Keeping this in mind, RSNH has already organized a 15 days Awareness Program on Migratory Birds in southern Rajasthan in the second half of Januray 2007. Mr. Satya Prakash Mehra (Sr. Project Officer, Bharatpur Field Office, WWF-India, Keoladeo National Park) and Mrs. Sarita Mehra (Secretary, RSNH) were the specialist of the program.

To observe the WMBD, CREW will join hands with another NGO ARPAN (Awanti Rehabilitation Programmes and Action Networking) Society to organise a two day bird camp on May 12 and 13 for rural children, mostly belonging to the economically backward and disadvantaged families, in and around Bhopal, the Central Indian State of Madhya Pradesh.

The organisation NicarAgua Dulce Tour Operadora Acucatica presents a photo exhibition of birds of Nicaragua. Primary purpose of the exhibition is to show the importance of birds in the life and development of human kind.

The National Coordination Unit of the "UNEP/GEF Siberian Crane Wetlands Project" will translate the WMBD's poster into the local langauge and distribute them (accompanied with an information sheet about WMBD) at national level (as we did last year).

We would like to inform you that the organizations Serres Club for UNESCO and PRAXIS will participate in the World Migratory Bird Day 2008 with the following actions:

ABO will organise the following activities from 7-11 May:
-exhibition of posters
-conferences on birds of Burundi, important bird areas and their monitoring, migratory birds in general
-birdwatching

The Minister of the Interior of the Republic of Cyprus will be present at the release of about 30 rehabilitated raptors, including Common Buzzards, Honey Buzzards and Hen Harriers.

All birds that have been treated and rehabilitated in the Cyprus Game Fund Rehabilitation Center will be ringed and released on Monday the 12th of May 2008.

The Kakamega Environmental Volunteers, a site support group working with Nature Kenya (the BirdLife partner in Kenya), will organise a number of events to commemorate WMBD on Saturday, 10th May 2008.
A morning bird watching session starting at 7 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. involving 400 pupils from the surrounding schools and community members. Other interested birdwatchers are welcome to join us. This will be followed by discussions on 'How do birds prepare to migrate'? by John Luseno and Leonard Likhotio.

RSNH is organizing a week of celebrating WMBD 08. Along with the regular tours and excursions with school students and nature lovers, RSNH is organizing slide/film shows for the students in Udaipur to make them feel the beauty of birds by heart. Besides, Bird Races are planned to be organized at Udaipur & Bharatpur.
In Udaipur the area for the bird search during the race is restricted to the Sajjan Niwas Garden to be tackled by the youngsters.

"Mersi" is the name of bird watching activities that are commonly scheduled by BIONIC (Biology UNY Ornithology Club). The word “Mersi” represents an acronym of the Javanese word “Mersani Peksi”, which means to watch birds. Activity "Mersi" has taken place for 3 years running, but in this year (2008), it is carried out as an exhibition or expo event to touch broader scope of people.