Pulicat, a town in Tamil Nadu, is a key launch site for Indian rockets, home to migratory birds and cottage industry.

What a great feeling, and proof – if proof were needed – that our efforts to be friendlier to nature with our farming practices are working. The cattle egret isn’t the only new arrival.

Also worth checking out are our guides to using eBird and Twitter, both of which are extremely handy tools for birders. And finally, in case you need a new pair of binoculars, take a spin through our ...