Welcoming the Winter Guests | A Dawn Birding Adventure in Namma Chennai Today 💚

The First Flock | Welcoming Seven Magnificent Migrants to Namma Chennai

#intothewildwithrufus #birding

6th September 2026

Today, as part of our September birding adventures, we started as early as 4.45 am to the coastal wetlands of namma Chennai to get that blessed early morning darshan of our feathered friends. 😊

Over a patient six-hour-long birding spree, we were able to spot a record 45 species of birds, as follows -

1. Ashy Prinia
2. Ashy Woodswallow
3. Asian Green bee-eater
4. Barn swallow
5. Black Drongo
6. Black-headed Ibis
7. Black-winged Stilt
8. Black-shouldered Kite
9. Blue-tailed bee-eater
10. Common green shank
11. Common kingfisher
12. Common moor-hen
13. Common myna
14. Common tern
15. Eurasian Coot
16. Eurasian Spoonbill
17. Glossy Ibis
18. Greater Egret
19. Greater flamingoes
20. Grey francolin
21. Indian Roller
22. Jacobin Cuckoo
23. Kentish Plower
24. Little cormorants
25. Little Egret
26. Little Grebe
27. Paddy field pipit
28. Painted Stork
29. Pied kingfisher
30. Plain Prinia
31. Pond Heron
32. Purple Heron
33. Purple moor-hen
34. Purple-rumped sunbird male
35. Red shank
36. Red-wattled lapwing
37. Rose-ringed parakeet
38. Spot-billed duck
39. Spot-billed pelican
40. Tricoloured munia
41. Whistling ducks
42. White-breasted Waterhen
43. White-browed wagtail
44. White-throated Kingfisher
45. Yellow-billed babbler

Surprisingly, the migratory birds (a total of seven species) have started arriving in flocks towards namma Chennai for their annual pitstop in our marshlands, salt marshes and tidal flats.

While most of the birds that we had spotted today are actually permanent, year-round residents of South India, there are many in the list that are true winter and monsoon migrants that travel hundreds or thousands of miles to reach the Chennai coast starting September.

So first let’s welcome the first batch of the lovely monsoon migrants home - to Chennai 😊

Firstly, the Barn Swallow – that visits Chennai all the way from the Himalayas, and Northern Asia, and Europe. They sport a deeply forked tail, blue upperparts, and a red throat.

Secondly, the blue-tailed Bee-eater – that visits Chennai all the way from Northern India, the Himalayas, and Southeast Asia. They have a striking blue tail, black eye stripe, and chestnut throat. They are acrobatic hunters that catch bees and dragonflies mid-air.

Thirdly, the Common Tern, that travels across the temperate and subarctic Europe and Asia. It is a sleek seabird with a deeply forked tail and pointed wings, known for spectacular plunge-dives to catch small fish.

Fourthly, the Common Greenshank, that comes to town all the way from Taiga regions of Northern Europe and Siberia. It is a tall wading bird with a slightly upturned bill and long, greenish legs.

Fifthly, the Common Redshank, that travels all the way from temperate Eurasia, from Europe to Central Asia. It’s named thus, for its bright orange-red legs. It acts as the “sentinel of the marsh” because its loud alarm call warns other birds.

Sixthly, the Greater Flamingo, that flies all the way from the Rann of Kutch (Gujarat), Central Asia, and the Middle East. This largest species of flamingo, features a long, downward-bending bill used to filter-feed algae and shrimp from salt pans.

Seventhly, the Kentish Plover, that comes down all the way from Central Asia and Northern Europe. It is a tiny, sand-colored shorebird that runs in sudden stops and starts to hunt insects. (Note: A small local population exists in Tamil Nadu, but winter brings large migratory flocks).