2 weeks Ago
Pune: Birders spotted the European Honey Buzzard, a rare bird, on Vetal Tekdi on Wednesday morning. The sighting is the first ever in Maharashtra and has left environmentalists and enthusiasts excited. Two different groups of birders saw the European Honey Buzzard (Pernis apivorus) in the state's first ever record of its appearance.
Birders Pankaj Inamdar, Aniruddha Gokhale and Mayur Arole, along with young birders Shamik Parab and Nishad Homkar, were able to see and document the occurrence on the citizen science platform for birdwatching — Ebird. Inamdar said, "Usually, there are two black spots that differentiate the European Honey Buzzard from the Indian Honey Buzzard. We neither expected it nor realised it initially.
It is for the first time that we have seen the bird in Maharashtra and it is thrilling. The bird was usually spotted in Kerala and Tamil Nadu all these years." Recently, there have been first-time sightings of over 10 different species of rare birds on Vetal tekdi.
Meanwhile, there has been no previous record of the black-patched bird in Maharashtra. Birders are rushing to the tekdi to catch a glimpse and rallying for its protection. Parab said, "In the birding world, when something from a major region is seen in a place where it's not supposed to be — the experience is exciting! Such was the sighting of the European Honey Buzzard in Pune, spicing up the list of rare birds in the Pakshi Saptha, Vetal tekdi birding marathon.
In short, this bird is a mega rarity. I would give credit to senior birder Adesh Shivkar, whose keen eye prevented us from thinking it was the usual Oriental Honey Buzzard." "The sighting is significant considering there are only sporadic records of this species being sighted elsewhere in India and adds to the long list of rare bird sightings on the Vetal tekdi, this season.
It also underscores the importance of the hill as an urban open space and biodiversity hotspot that needs to be recognised as a natural heritage of Pune," said birder Ranjeet Rane..
