Salem Ornithological Foundation

If you’re looking for us, we’re over at No.60/25 on Court Road. It’s in the Manakkadu part of Salem, near the Hasthampatti Post. We go by the Salem Ornithological Foundation. It sounds a bit formal, but really we’re just a group that’s interested in the birds around this part of Tamil Nadu. Our office is a quiet little place. It’s usually filled with binoculars, some old field guides, and notebooks where we jot down what we see. We aren't some big-budget environmental organization. We’re just locals who think the birds here are worth paying attention to. Salem has grown a lot, and the trees are different than they used to be, so we try to keep track of how the birds are doing. People sometimes stop by to tell us about a nest they found or to ask what kind of bird is eating their grain. We like those visits. We don't have a polished look. Our chairs are a bit old and the walls could probably use a new coat of paint, but it works for us. We aren't out to impress anyone. We just do our observations and keep our records. It’s a slow kind of work, but we enjoy it. There’s no big marketing push here. We just stay here on Court Road and do our thing, day in and day out, watching the sky and the trees.