31 species sighted on the RTMC campus since 2004 • 12 photographed
Observations and text: Praveen Deepak ‘Deepu’ • Photography: Nagesh Kamath
The RTMC campus, as far back as I can remember, has been one of the most green areas in the whole of Richmond Town. In this millennium, tree cover has been very rapidly lost, which makes the RTMC campus an oasis for birds that frequent Richmond Town — especially during these last three decades.
Since 2004, I have observed the birds that frequent the RTMC grounds almost every day. It started as a hobby. I never thought I would end up documenting RTMC’s birds as an ornithological record. I have listed 31 species which have frequented the campus at least once since 2004 — quite remarkable, considering that birds tend to avoid human beings as a rule.
Twelve of those species have been photographed by Nagesh Kamath, whose camera has caught what the eye alone would miss.
ALSO SIGHTED ON THE RTMC CAMPUS
19 further species recorded during the 2004–2026 observation period
| Species | Species |
|---|---|
| Common Myna | Jungle Myna |
|
Rosy Starling |
Indian Golden Oriole |
| Spotted Dove | Jungle Crow |
| Booted Warbler | Tickell’s Flowerpecker |
| Greenish Warbler | Oriental White-eye |
| Asian Brown Flycatcher | Blyth’s Reed-Warbler |
| Cinereous Tit | Red-whiskered Bulbul |
| Blue Rock-Thrush | White-breasted Kingfisher |
| Shikra | Barn Owl |
| Feral Pigeon |
🐦 Remarkable vagrant: a male Indian Peafowl was sighted during the 2020–21 lockdowns.
“The little Blyth’s Reed-Warbler flies across the world and returns faithfully to our little grounds, to his favourite bushes, every year. Think of that.”
— Praveen Deepak
Photography: Nagesh Kamath
All photographs taken in or around the RTMC campus
Text and bird observations: Praveen Deepak ‘Deepu’
22-year record: 2004–2026
