“In 2011, during our first trip just after marriage, my wife Renuka and I bought our first bridge camera together. In the backwaters of Kerala, we both found out that we have a new common interest- Birding!” says Rahul Iyer from Mumbai. Read here to know more about his hobby of birdwatching.
1. Please tell us a bit about yourself. What do you do and where do you live?
I’m an avid birder from Mumbai. I’ve been working in Sales & Marketing in the AlcoBev industry for 8 years and currently on a sabbatical.
2. When and how did you get interested in birding?
In 2011, during our first trip just after marriage, my wife Renuka and I bought our first bridge camera together. In the backwaters of Kerala, we both found out that we have a new common interest- birding! I discovered the Brahminy Kite, Kingfishers and Cormorants that really piqued my interest. When I was back in Mumbai, I started noticing the diversity in the backyard of my house itself where I could spend hours watching a Coppersmith Barbet or an Asian Koel. That’s when I started reading, taking short courses and going on birding trips.
3. Do you have a favourite bird or birds? Why is it/are they your favourite?
The Pied Kingfisher was one of the first birds that became my muse during my trip to Kerala. Since then I became fascinated by the various types of kingfishers with an explosion of colours or their beauty despite their lack of it.
4. Do you have a birding partner or a group you enjoy birding with? How is birding alone different from birding with others?
I’m lucky to have Renuka my ‘life partner’ as my birding partner. I also join local birding groups in Mumbai. Solo birding is like meditation where you can take things at your own pace and experience being completely present with yourself.
5. What is your most memorable birding experience?
6. Anything on the birding bucket list? (Doesn’t have to be a bird, could be a place, witnessing a phenomena, etc.)
Exploring species of owls and the avian diversity of the Andaman Islands are on my immediate bucket list.
7. What aspect of birding do you enjoy the most?
Birding makes me feel connected with nature and myself more. It makes me appreciate little things around me and in life
8. Which of the two do you enjoy more and why: a) regular birding around your house/local patch/district, or b) widespread birding in different landscapes across different districts and states?
I prefer going to local patches regularly as I enjoy discovering newer perspectives and understanding bird behaviours. It also helps me understand association of birds with different habitats and how loss or alteration of such habitats might impact them.
9. How has your approach to birding changed over the years?
It has shifted from photographing different species to understanding its behaviours and the habitat around.
10. Have you set any birding goals for the coming months?
My birding goals for the coming months is to revisit Bhigwan Bird Sanctuary in Pune and also explore other hotspots in Maharashtra.
11. What is your message for fellow birders?
Instead of making it like a corporate jungle with baits and intruding their spaces, I would urge fellow birders to let ourselves be at the mercy of nature while birding. We should enjoy the process than just the outcome of exclusive pics or no. of lifers.
Header Image: Great Indian Bustard Ardeotis nigriceps © Rahul Iyer
