Sun Sep 14 14:25:36 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary of the text, followed by a news article:
**Summary:**
On September 12, 2025, environmentalist Kumaresan Chandrabose sighted and photographed a Saunders’s Tern at the Adyar Estuary near the Broken Bridge in Chennai. This marks the first documented sighting of the bird in Chennai, as it is typically found in northwestern areas of the Indian Ocean. The sighting attracted many birders to the area. Researchers have found the species breeding on the sandbars of Adam’s Bridge, which may shed light on its presence in Chennai.
**News Article:**
**Rare Saunders’s Tern Sighted in Chennai, Thrills Birdwatchers**
**Chennai, September 14, 2025** – The Adyar Estuary, near the iconic Broken Bridge, has become a hotspot for bird enthusiasts after the rare sighting of a Saunders’s Tern (Sternula saundersi), also known as the Black-shafted Tern, on September 12th. The sighting, confirmed by environmentalist and birder Kumaresan Chandrabose, marks the first documented record of this species in Chennai.
Chandrabose shared the news and photograph of the bird on birding platforms, immediately drawing a crowd of binocular-wielding birders to the area, eager to catch a glimpse of the avian visitor. “The Saunders’s Tern did not disappoint,” Chandrabose reported.
The sighting is particularly significant as the Saunders’s Tern is usually found in the northwestern parts of the Indian Ocean, not typically venturing as far south as Chennai. This unexpected appearance has sparked interest in the birding community.
Kumaresan linked the bird’s presence to research suggesting that the Saunders’s Tern breeds on the sandbars of Adam’s Bridge, a chain of natural limestone shoals located between India’s Pamban Island and Sri Lanka’s Mannar Island. The findings could offer some insights as to the Tern now visiting Chennai.
First Piper 