Manoj Por Manu, the naturalist at bird-rich Coconut Lagoon, writes about the avian creatures that gather there. His articles and photographs have been published in prestigious nature journals. 

The water world of Coconut Lagoon is a paradise for birds and birdwatchers alike, offering a wealth of charming sights and sounds.

Paddy fields, like forests and mangroves, attract vibrant, seasonal bird life during the different stages of its cultivation. When the field is waterlogged after the harvesting, the Little Grebe (Tachybaptus Ruficollis) and Indian Coot (Fulicaatra) are its visitors. Filled with water plants such as lily, lotus and Eichhornia, the field has welcomed a new guest: the Jacanas (both bronze-winged or Metopidius Indicus and pheasant-tailed or Hydrophasianus Chirurgus). They probably have the most unique nicknames in the bird kingdom! Called the Jesus Bird and Christbird, jacanas have elongated toes and claws that help spread their weight when moving across floating vegetation, and the water plants enable them to walk over the surface foraging their prey and offer a place to nest. The impression that they walk on water, especially when the vegetation is submerged, gives them the nickname. 

Different species of ducks also like to accompany them at this time, namely the Lesser Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna Javanica), Cotton Pigmy Goose (Nettapus Coromandelianus), Garganey (Anas Querquedula) and Pintail Duck (Anas Acuta). The Whistling Duck and Cotton Pigmy Goose are residents. They like to breed on the dead coconut trees and other tree holes near the fields. Chicks swimming around their parents in the post monsoon season is a common sight in the fields. The Whistling Duck or Tree Duck, as also it is known, has a wheezy, whistling “seasick, seasick”, call, uttered in flight, and roosts can be quite noisy. The migrants can be seen from October to May from different parts of the world. They are attracted here due to the warm weather – a welcome escape from the freezing European winter!  

A Chartered Accountant by training, Jose Dominic is the Managing Director and CEO of CGH Earth, a hotel group that is known for its pioneering new approaches to resort development. Dominic has served on several national and State advisory panels on tourism and has also been a speaker at major international tourism conferences and seminars. Closely associated with the conservation movement, he is the co-convener of INTACH (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage). He is also president of TIE (The Indus Entrepreneurs) Kerala chapter and of KTM (Kerala Travel Mart Society), which has acquired a reputation as the most significant travel marketing event in India.