Port Blair, March 1: It’s the 7th year in a row, Andaman Avians Club - the only birding club in A&N Islands has successfully coordinated the Great Backyard Bird Count 2023 collaborated and partnered with the Bird Count India between 17th Feb to 20th Feb. 2023.
The part event CAMPUS BIRD COUNT 2023 has also been taken up during the GBBC2023 and was conducted all across three districts by club coordinators Mr. Ram Vikas in N&M Andaman, Mr. D. Kishore in South Andaman and Mr. Amrit Raha in Nicobar District.
During the event GBBC 2023 the UT's Chief Secretary, Shri Keshav Chandra, IAS also participated and witnessed 16 species including 2 endemic birds at his residence backyard.
A&N Islands among 37 states in India stands at 13th position with 835 Checklists and at 30th position with 143 species reported from 230 hotspots bifurcated with 148 from South Andaman, 37 from Nicobar and 45 from N&M Andaman.
Chidiyatapu Biological Park and Ograbranj Wetland in SA, Galathea National Park in Nicobar and at N&MA Pristine Beach Resort in Diglipur and Forest Nursery, Parnashala in Rangat were among the top birding hotspots.
An AAC BIRD RACE 2023 was also organised by the Andaman Avians Club during this international event. Mr. Amrit Raha was the coordinator for this club event and during this bird race many club members and birders across the Islands and mainland had participated. The results are as follows:
MOST CHECKLISTS IN BIRD RACE
1) Amrit Raha - 117
2) Sarthy Prasanth - 73
3) Thikanna G. - 33
MOST SPECIES RECORDED IN BIRD RACE
1) Sarthy Prasanth - 111
2) Arun Singh - 100
3) Suresh Kumar S. - 65
Some of the rare sightings are Green Warbler, Paddyfield Pipit, Hooded Pitta, Square-tailed Drongo-cuckoo, Black Crowned Night Heron with some rare sighted endemics like Andaman Wood Pigeon (State Bird), Andaman Scoops Owl, Nicobar Scoops Owl and many more. The highest counted bird specie during the GBBC2023 was "Asian Glossy Starling" with a count of 2398 all along the stretch of this most diversified archipelago of India - Andaman & Nicobar Islands.