Vatsal Trivedi’s lenses pick the birds’ best flight

With many foreign tourists and ornithologists attending the Global Bird Watchers' Conference here in Jamnagar, the organisers have deputed many young volunteers.

Young Vatsal Trivedi's chubby face and cracking voice can easily be mistaken for that of one of the volunteers.

However, the 20-year old, third year engineering student is a passionate photographer and equally serious nature and bird lover.

His photographs on 'Change in Biodiversity' won him the top prize in an all India photographs competition held by the Kerala Photographic Club. He has also got a special mention by Sanctuary Asia magazine.

Still learning the tricks of the trade, Vatsal started bird-photography when he turned 18. "I started bird-watching as I loved to follow birds and liked to observe them sitting at a place for hours. There are over 30 wetlands in Jamnagar so each time I try out a new place," says the young lens-man.

It helped that his father, Ashwin Trivedi works in the department of forests. Encouraged by the interest shown by his son, senior Trivedi bought Vatsal a Cannon 50 D, which costs a whopping 1.5 lakhs.

The seriousness can be gauged by the youngster's visiting card that bears the image of his most priced click till date, 'Indian Pitta'.  Not shy of admitting that his friends make fun of him, Vatsal is on a mission to sensitise them about nature and birds.

His photograph of birds using footwear as nest when the water level rises in the wetlands won him an award for change in habitat and biodiversity category.

"However, more than the award, what pleases me is that it taught my friends a lesson that growing garbage affects birds. They have vowed not to litter. I am happy that it creates awareness," he says proudly.