Like the past three years, this year's GBBC (Great Back Yard Bird Count) and CBC (Campus Bird Count) 2023 would be coordinated in Sikkim by Dibyendu Ash. As the Sikkim state coordinator, he has planned to cover the four districts of the state, and would do this through global and national birding events in school and college campuses across the state; starting from Geyzing in West Sikkim, followed by Namchi in South Sikkim, Gangtok in East Sikkim, and ending this four-day-long event at Mangan in North Sikkim.  

We choose 17th February 2023 in Sanchaman Limboo, Govt Degree College at Gyalshing in West Sikkim to introduce birds and birdwatching to the students. Firstly it would be a presentation seminar on Birdwatching in Sikkim to the students and professors from the college and later there would be a bird walk just around the college campus. On the next day, a similar kind of activity would be performed, i.e. on 18th February 2023 at Sikkim Govt College at Namchi in South Sikkim CBC would be held. On Sunday, 19th February 2023 at Himalayan Zoological Park at Bulbuley in Gangtok city in East Sikkim district, a bird walk is planned. And the event ends on 20th February 2023 at Govt Sr Secondary School in Mangan town in North Sikkim district. 

We are very much thankful to Mr. Nosang Muringla Limbu - the Joint Secretary of Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM), Students' Wing; Professor Jacinta Sharma of Namchi Govt College; Principal of Gyalsing College Mr. Kishor Kumar Rai and the famous bird photographer and Principal of Mangan High School Mr. Karma Tempo. The above said personalities' approval to conduct this event in their domain and institutions is much appreciated.

The dates for this year’s Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) and Campus Bird Count (CBC) are 17- 20 February 2023. (Details: www.birdcount.in/event/gbbc).

Other than the state coordinator Dibyendu Ash (9681417974), who would cover the above-mentioned four places; there are regional village bird walk coordinators who would be organizing bird walks in their village areas as follows:

Mittal Gala works with Bird Count India- a program that runs under a larger NGO called Nature Conservation Foundation (NCF). BCI popularises birdwatching and bird monitoring across India.
Nisha Sharma (Dhungel), proprietor of registered travel agent M/s Sikkim Birds Tours & Travels [under the Sikkim Registration of Tourist Trade Rules, 2008 vide Serial No 1495 Registration No. 1495/DoT&CAv/E/22/TA Volume no. 1] sponsoring this drive.