Winter’s fog and chill haven’t dampened Delhi’s birding spirit. On National Bird Day, January 5, the Asian Waterbird Census at the National Zoological Park recorded 1,310 birds from 18 species, kicking off an exciting season. The thrill has only grown with rare sightings, including a juvenile White-tailed Eagle — India’s largest eagle — spotted in Delhi-NCR, sparking buzz among birdwatchers, especially the youngsters.
“The birdwatching season is off to a great start. The highlight has been the White-tailed Eagle. It was spotted at Sultanpur National Park in Gurugram and had bird watchers in awe,” says birder Nikhil Devasar from delhibird Foundation.
For birder Rohit Sharma, the real win goes beyond spotting rare birds. What excites him is the changing crowd at these early-morning outings. “For us, spotting rare birds is always thrilling, but when I am going out on such trips this season, I am seeing many youngsters volunteering to be a part it. They have been so curious and keep asking questions,” he shares.
That curiosity is echoed by Gen Z such as Raghav Batra, a law student at Delhi University and a photographer. “Going outdoors, especially to spot birds, was considered boring amongst my friends. But after we heard about the rare eagles being spotted, we wanted to get involved too. Now we want to be out there, spot a rare bird and flex it by posting online — it is really thrilling” he says.
{{/usCountry}}That curiosity is echoed by Gen Z such as Raghav Batra, a law student at Delhi University and a photographer. “Going outdoors, especially to spot birds, was considered boring amongst my friends. But after we heard about the rare eagles being spotted, we wanted to get involved too. Now we want to be out there, spot a rare bird and flex it by posting online — it is really thrilling” he says.
{{/usCountry}}Pankaj Gupta from Delhi Bird Atlas says this winter has quietly become a ‘season of eagles,’ with major wetlands spotting species like the Bonelli’s and Greater Spotted Eagle. Alongside, birds such as the Pied Avocet and several duck species are appearing in good numbers. He adds that sightings are expected to improve despite the fog, with Surajpur, Okhla, Dhaunari, and Sultanpur wetland among the best spots for sightings.
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