Janardhan out birding
Please join us in congratulating Janardhan Uppada of Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India, winner of the July 2019 eBird Challenge, sponsored by Carl Zeiss Sports Optics. Janardhan’s name was drawn randomly from 3,978 eBirders who submitted at least 31 eligible eBird checklists in July. Janardhan will receive a new ZEISS Conquest HD 8×42 binocular for his eBirding efforts. Here’s Janardhan’s birding story:
My passion towards photography has landed me into birdwatching. But it was first for photographs only. I would often return empty handed as I was not having any data of migratory birds and always dependent on luck to get a few photographs.
Indian Roller by Janardhan Uppada/Macaulay Library
Then one fine day, Mr. Ramit Singal gave an elaborate presentation on eBird in our city. This has inspired me into serious birding. Since then I started contributing at least a list a day, now it’s 600 days and counting.
Where ever I am, I make it a point to contribute at least one list. I got in touch with a few regular birders and started recording my findings using eBird. Now the repository of birding spots and birds increased tremendously in our city. Earlier I never had any records of my observations, I needed to go through all my old files just to know if can find a certain bird at a place. Now eBird is keeping a track of all my routes and lists, which is very handy. This has motivated me to go in search of new areas and also cover regular areas. Now I never return disappointed as I know which areas and seasons have which birds with the click of a button. eBird has tremendously helped me in knowing this. Particularly it helps me a lot once I am in a new place, like which bird species to
look out for, where and when.
Citrine Wagtail by Janardhan Uppada/Macaulay Library
In this course, I was really excited after spotting a lone Greater Flamingo in our city after a span of three decades. I keep discovering new species month after month and eBird is helping me to keep track of migratory birds and their patterns etc.
My humble start with eBird after year and a half has helped me understand many things about these birds. The Merlin bird identification app is also helping me ID some birds.
I got a lot of help and motivation from Mr. Sreekar Rachakonda and Vikram Penmesta who had helped me in my initial days for Bird IDs. I once again thank eBird and Carl Zeiss for giving me this opportunity to get in touch with this beautiful community.