Mon May 12 04:02:40 UTC 2025: ## Rare Bird Sighting Thrill for Chennai Birder
**Chennai, May 12, 2025** – A Chennai IT professional and avid birder, Sathish Kumar, made an extraordinary discovery during a recent trip to the Great Salt Lake (GSL) in Kalavakkam. On May 3rd, he spotted three rare migratory birds – a Gull-billed tern, a Slender-billed gull, and a Spotted redshank – all within close proximity to each other.
The sighting of the Spotted redshank is particularly noteworthy, as it was a “lifer” for Kumar, marking his first-ever encounter with this species. The Spotted redshank, distinguishable from its more common cousin, the Common redshank, by its longer, thinner, and slightly curved beak, was observed in its breeding plumage, exhibiting a deep dark grey from crown to belly and dark grey legs.
Kumar’s photographs document this remarkable encounter, with one image even capturing the Spotted redshank and the Slender-billed gull together. This unexpected triple sighting at the end of the wintering season has delighted bird enthusiasts and underscores the biodiversity of the GSL.
First Piper 