In an effort to engage with the vast number of amateur birdwatchers, educators, and parents across the country, Early Bird has been working to connect enthusiasts interested in becoming bird and nature educators.
- How to be a Birding Buddy
We conduct workshops titled ‘How to be a Birding Buddy’, aimed at providing training and capacity building for individuals working with children. Initially launched as in-person events in various cities, these workshops depend on collaboration with local groups for logistical support and to gather interested participants.
During the workshops, we cover the skills essential for introducing children to birdwatching. We provide both print and digital materials, as well as tools to enhance the learner’s experience. The workshops are highly interactive, featuring a dynamic mix of instructional sessions, demonstrations, games, and creative activities that educators can directly apply in their own engagements. Read more about these workshops in our blog posts: Kolkata & Bengaluru workshops.
During the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2021, we transitioned the format to a two-half-day online workshop. This 2021 segment of Birding Buddy workshops featured guest sessions from the Seasonwatch and Nature Classrooms teams. These sessions were recorded in part, and you can watch them here.
We have also facilitated specialised workshops for school teachers, early childhood educators and birdwatchers in partnership with organisations such as the Azim Premji, Agastya and Aakanksha Foundations, Liana Trust, Bachpan Manao, Green Hub, Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement, Birdwatchers’ Society (Kolkata), and more. We have also collaborated with the Karnataka Panchayat Raj Commissionerate to train librarians and introduce nature education in rural libraries. You can read more about this collaboration here. We continue to organise online workshops and conduct in-person workshops on request.
Here are some highlights from our workshops conducted over the past few years.
2. Birding Buddies Online Series
In 2022, we launched the ‘Birding Buddies Online Series,’ a set of webinars designed to foster long-term engagement within our network. These monthly sessions featured panels of speakers from diverse regions sharing valuable insights into nature education. Starting in 2023, we have continued this series on a bimonthly basis, focusing on addressing challenges in nature education through panel discussions and skill-building sessions. To catch up on previous sessions, please visit our YouTube playlist here.
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Learning through Games
Games can be great tools for learning! In this session, Misha Bansal takes you through the various games and activities one can try out to get kids excited about birds and nature.
Tips and tricks: Bird walks and talks
Planning to conduct a bird walk for a group of children or adults? In this session, Garima Bhatia suggests some tips and tricks to keep in mind for a successful outing.
What’s that bird sitting on?
As birdwatchers, we often tend to ignore trees. In this talk, Geetha Ramaswami and Swati Sidhu of Seasonwatch help you understand trees, and also the birds that visit them.