Do you know that around 11,000 bird species are present in the world? With this huge number, no one has been able to achieve this record of observing all bird species in the world. Easiest among these bird species to observe are waders. Now, let’s discuss what are waders? Harsh Vardhan in this article talks about waders and sheds light on the new term which is co-related to twitching while sharing the picture of Pied Avocet, a migratory wader in India and explains the waders’ theory here…
A new craze seems to be growing up among aficionados which is called as twitching. Can it be called as a part of bird watching? Yes. However, this class stands different from bird-watchers.
Bird watchers can be happy after observing a few dozen bird species. However, twitchers are those who wish to list as many bird species as possible during life time. About 10,000 species are in the world. Is it possible?
No one has been able to achieve this record of observing all bird species in the world.
Easiest among bird species to observe are waders. What are these?
These are bird species that confine their stay and move only at edges of water. They do not go into it to swim. They do not come out of moist habitats. They are a group of birds which need aquatic habitat and may be about 200+ species all over world.
In this context, a couple based in Britain, Rick Simpson and Elis, have joined hands together to work on conservation of Waders and have set up an organisation called Wader Quest to dedicate their life time exclusively on such birds. They travel all over to find new species, photograph them and write all about it in their Wader Quest newsletter. It is an e-magazine running into nearly 60 pages. They share it free with those desirous to have it.
Rick watches while his wife, Elis clicks them through a long lens-camera. Often they have to walk miles, in mud or shallow water, to log in new species. Using spot-scope is essential as many birds remain at distance. Carry bit heavy baggage on shoulders, walk longer and face cold in Norwegian regions or sun in South East Asia, to obtain maximum for this hobby, nay passion, nay obsession. No money, they spend out of own pockets. Minor donations are often received. Interested to contribute to them, kindly inform us to connect with them.
India has about 125 wader species. A tiny booklet on these birds was done a few months ago by RG Soni and Harkirat Singh Sangha, published by the Patrika Publications. It is a Jaipur-based organisation that specialised in value-added books. S.Balachandran, hailing from Point Calimere in Tamil Nadu, happens to be the lone person across this subcontinent to have banded maximum number of wader species over past quarter century, a work he did on behalf on BNHS (Bombay Natural History Society).
Want waders? We will connect you with best of wader aficionados if you drop a line.