Boys go Birding
The birding adventures of two brothers: Atish and Sikandar
Meet Atish and Sikandar
– Atish Khosla
Atish from 2023
Hi, I am Atish Khosla and I started birding in 2020 when I was seven. I was earlier introduced to birds by my grandparents in Himachal. Every morning when I was seven he use to show me birds on the terrace and slowly I started to get interested. My first birding trip was to Keoladeo National Park, Rajasthan, India where I wanted to see the Peregrine Falcon, but did not find it. Luckily our guide told us about this place in Gujarat called the Little Rann of Kutch, after two weeks we were on a plane to Gujarat. On our second day and second safari, we saw the peregrine falcon and we were not sure about another bird if it was a Merlin or a Lesser Kestrel. The Little Rann of Kutch was one of my favourite bird sanctuaries I’ve been too.
Atish from 2026
Hi, I’m Atish Khosla and I started birding in 2020 at the age of seven. I was earlier introduced to birds by my grandaparents which, according to me, was the most contributing factor in sparking my interest. My first birding trip was to Keoladeo National Park, India where I was keen to see the Peregrine Falcon but luck wasn’t on our side. Luckily our guide told us of a place called the Little Rann of Kutch in Gujarat and said it was a raptor haven and sighting the Peregrine wasn’t difficult.
After two weeks in Delhi we set out for Surendrnagar, Gujarat and made our way to LRK. On just our second safari we were rewarded with a sighting of the Peregrine and along with it an Eastern Imperial Eagle and Merlin. Since then I’ve been on many amazing birding trips from the Andes in Peru and Chile, savannas of the Masai Mara and Serengeti and the riverbeds and grasslands of Rajaji and Corbett. I’ve learned so much over the years already and I’m only twelve. I hope to see many more raptors in and out of India and go on many more amazing birding trips.
– Sikandar
Sikandar from 2023 and 2026
Hello, my name is Sikandar. I am 10 years old and started birding in 2021, when I was 4. My brother and I used to see birds with our grandparents in Dharamshala. Since then, we have been on many trips with our parents to India and other countries. My favourite birding trip so far has been the Amazon rainforest in Peru. I liked Peru because we were walking in rain and we could also kayak in ponds to spot more birds.I think my favourite bird in the Amazon was Scarlet Macaw and spotting the Peregrine Falcon on a moving boat.I like spotting, photographing with binoculars, a phone, a scope and our shared camera.
Regions and Countries we have been birding in
Here are some regions and countries we have visited for one sole purpose. Birding.
Click on the button below the image and text to dive deeper into stories and our birding experiences.
India
Click on the button below to read about our birding experiences in India. The entries are about National Parks and simply birding in our city as well.
South America
Click on the button below to read about our birding experiences in South America. The entries range from the humid forests of the Peruvian Amazonia to the cold, windy mountains of Chilean Patagonia.
East Africa
Click on the button below to read about our birding experiences in East Africa. The entries consist are about our experiences in the savannas of the Masai Mara to the huge Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania.
Stories in depth and bird lists
Click on the button below to read about some birding stories in depth on bird nests or find our sighting lists based on the country and region.
Birding Essentials
Equipment
When we go on birding trips or outings we always take euipment that is fitted for the area and region. When we go on a safari we ensure that we carry our Nikon Coolpix P950 and our father takes his Sony Alpha7 IV + Sigma lense. Seondly whilst visiting a place with many wading and water birds we ensure to take our opticron field scope and a phone clamp.
Keep this in mind that whenever you go birding a pair of binoculars is an absolute must-take and they’re light and very travel friendly so carrying them isn’t a hassle either.
Field Guides
Field guides are a neccesity when birding. We usually use a book called the Birds of the Indian Subcontinent by Tim and Carrol Inskipp for identification for India and its neighboring countries. All these books come under the Helm Field guides and are highkly recommended by many birders accross the globe. They have images, text and a map of where the species is sighted.
We use field guides to make our sighting lists and identify any new birds we see on a trip. Over the years we have stuck to books instead of AI and online ID apps as their outcomes are not always accurate. At times we have gotten results on them that made us laugh so much we nearly dropped our parents phone.
Clothing
The right clothing can make all the difference in your birding trip. When birding always be prepared for wet areas, rain or any other sort of uncomfotable situations. Always ensure that you are wearing long sleeves as leaches or thorns are never pleasant while your enjoying yourself birding. Secondly always keep a light jacket and raincoat near you as the weather doesn’t wait for us.
From all the birding we have done so far I can tell you that wearing waterproof clothes, hiking boots and a pair of sunglasses has made all the difference for us. The correct clothes keep you in the correct mood when birding or doing any other activity such as hiking or on a safari. So. Remember to always wear the right clothes when you leave your house in hope of birding.
ALL
Images have been taken by Martand Khosla (our father) using a Sony Alpha 7 IV or Alpha 7 and by us (Atish and Sikandar) using a Nikon Coolpix P950.
