Please tell us a bit about yourself. What do you do and where do you live?
Hi, I am Sandhya Lenka, a homemaker from Bhubaneswar, Odisha. Currently, I am residing in Kolkata, West Bengal.
When and how did you get interested in birding?
I got interested in bird watching in 2014-15. My husband Prabhudatta Bal, a nature enthusiast & part-time photographer introduced me to bird watching.
Do you have a favourite bird or birds? Why is it/are they your favourite?
Nothing special, it’s very exciting to watch all the birds.
Where do you enjoy birding the most?
I enjoy watching birds anytime anywhere, from my balcony, during morning walks, while traveling or on vacations.
Do you have a birding partner or a group you enjoy birding with? How is birding alone different from birding with others?
Most of the times my husband, also an eBirder, is my birding partner. While birding alone, I can track birds without disturbing them in their habitat. However, while birding in a group, it’s easier to locate birds, identify them and share knowledge.
Anything on the birding bucket list? (Doesn’t have to be a bird, could be a place, witnessing a phenomenon, etc)
Fulvous-breasted Woodpecker ©Sandhya Lenka
I would like to go birding as much as possible and record all the birds around me.
Has eBird changed how you bird? How?
I was introduced to eBird by Mr.Nandkishore Dudhe of BNHS during my early days in bird watching. eBird has helped in maintaining my observations regularly.
Have you set any birding goals for the coming months?
I would like to sharpen my skills to focus on the identification of the raptors, warblers, and all birdcalls.
What is your message for fellow birders?
Keep birding without disturbing the birds. Introduce and encourage your friends and children to the fascinating world of birds. Always try to maintain your data on eBird for the benefit of future generations.
Header image: Lemon-rumped Warbler (Pale-rumped Warbler) Phylloscopus chloronotus by Suresh Rana (see checklist)
