There is something different about a morning spent looking for birds.

You walk into a forest thinking you are going to see birds. But after a while, you realise that you are actually learning to see the forest itself.

You begin noticing movement in the branches, sounds coming from different directions, insects moving through the grass, the changing light between the trees and the quiet moments when everything seems to pause.

That was the experience during the bird walk organised by the Green Pencil Foundation in collaboration with the Ataavi Bird Foundation at Bhondsi Forest, Gurugram, on 5 September 2026.

The walk was guided by Sandy Khanda, who introduced participants to the practice of observing birds not merely as species to be identified, but as living beings with their own behaviours, communication patterns and relationship with the ecosystem.

A Morning of Looking, Listening and Learning

For someone new to bird watching, the first instinct is often to ask, “What bird is that?” It is a perfectly natural question.

But during a bird walk, another set of questions slowly begins to emerge. Why is the bird sitting there? What is it listening to?

Why did it suddenly fly away? Is that call coming from the same bird or another one responding? What is it eating? Why are two birds moving together?

These questions change the experience completely. Bird watching becomes less about collecting names and more about understanding what is happening around us.

During our 5 September walk, participants spotted several species, including the White-throated Kingfisher, Asian Paradise Flycatcher, Laughing Dove, Baya Weaver and Asian Koel, along with many other birds.

Some birds were easy to notice because of their distinctive appearance. Others announced their presence through their calls long before they could be seen.

And sometimes, the most memorable moments were not the ones where a bird stayed perfectly still for a photograph. They were the moments when participants noticed a behaviour for the first time. That is the real joy of a bird walk.

When a Bird Call Becomes a Conversation

Birds communicate constantly. Once you start paying attention, a forest no longer sounds like random birdsong. Different calls begin to stand out.

One bird calls. Another responds from somewhere deeper inside the trees.

A few seconds later, the first bird calls again. For a beginner, it can sound like a beautiful but confusing collection of sounds. With guidance and patience, however, participants begin to understand that these sounds are part of the birds’ social world.

Calls can help birds communicate, defend territories, attract mates, maintain contact or warn others of potential danger.

The Asian Koel is a good example of how sound can become an important part of bird watching. Its distinctive call may be familiar to many people even when they have never consciously looked for the bird making it.

This is one of the reasons a good bird walk encourages people to listen as much as they look. Eventually, you begin to recognise some birds by their calls alone.

Watching Behaviour, Not Just Birds

A bird sitting on a branch for a photograph is only one small part of its story. Spend a little longer observing and you may see something much more interesting.

A bird may repeatedly move between branches while searching for food. Another may stay in one place, carefully watching its surroundings. Some birds travel in groups, while others prefer to remain alone.

The Baya Weaver, for instance, offers an excellent opportunity to think about nesting and habitat. Its intricate nests are not simply impressive structures; they represent the bird’s remarkable adaptation and the availability of suitable materials and habitat.

The White-throated Kingfisher, with its distinctive appearance and hunting behaviour, can draw attention to the relationship between birds and the food available in their surroundings.

The Asian Paradise Flycatcher, meanwhile, reminds us how much diversity can be found in forest habitats when we take the time to look carefully.

Every species has a story. A bird walk gives us the time and space to notice it.

Why Bird Walks Are Important for People

We often talk about the importance of protecting birds and forests. But there is another part of conservation that deserves equal attention: helping people develop a relationship with nature.

Most of us spend much of our day surrounded by buildings, roads and screens. We move quickly from one place to another. A bird walk asks us to do the opposite.

Walk slowly. Be quiet. Look carefully. Wait. Listen. Observe. There is something valuable about this change in pace.

You begin to notice things that you would normally walk past. A bird moving through a tree. A butterfly resting on a leaf. A spider web catching the morning light.

The sound of wind moving through the canopy. These observations may seem small, but together they create a stronger awareness of the natural world.

Bird Watching Can Be a Gateway to Conservation

People are more likely to care about places they know and understand. A forest may look like just another patch of green from a distance. After spending a morning observing its birds, it starts to feel different.

You realise that the trees provide shelter. The insects provide food. The vegetation supports nesting. The water sources support wildlife.

Different species depend on different parts of the same ecosystem. Suddenly, habitat loss is no longer an abstract environmental issue.

It becomes personal. You have seen the place. You have heard its birds. You have watched them move through the habitat.

And that experience can create the motivation to protect it. This is why nature education and community-based bird walks can play an important role in conservation.

You Don’t Have to Be a Birder

Perhaps the biggest misconception about bird watching is that you need to know a lot before you can begin. You don’t.

You do not need to know the names of hundreds of species. You do not need expensive binoculars. You do not need professional photography equipment.

You simply need curiosity. A beginner can start by noticing three basic things: what the bird looks like, what it is doing and where it is.

Over time, those observations become more detailed. You begin recognising common species. Then their calls. Then their behaviour.

Eventually, you start noticing seasonal changes and understanding why certain birds appear in particular habitats.

Bird watching is a journey rather than a test. There is no requirement to know everything before you start.

The Human Side of a Bird Walk

There is also something special about experiencing nature with other people.

During a guided bird walk, one person’s observation can lead to another person’s discovery.

Someone hears a call. Someone else spots movement in a tree. A guide explains what the group is seeing. A photographer captures a fleeting moment.

A beginner asks a question that others may also have been wondering about. For a few hours, strangers become a small community connected by curiosity.

That community is important. Environmental awareness grows not only through information but also through shared experiences.

What We Hope People Take Away

At Green Pencil Foundation, we believe environmental education should not stop at lectures, presentations or classrooms.

People need opportunities to experience nature directly. A bird walk may begin with identifying five species.

But we hope participants leave with something much more valuable: the habit of looking closer.

The habit of listening. The patience to observe. The curiosity to ask questions. And perhaps, most importantly, a desire to protect the places where these birds live. Our 5 September bird walk at Bhondsi Forest was one such experience.

The White-throated Kingfisher, Asian Paradise Flycatcher, Laughing Dove, Baya Weaver, Asian Koel and many other birds became our companions for the morning. But the real discovery was bigger than the bird checklist. It was the realisation that nature is constantly communicating with us. We simply need to slow down enough to notice.