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In the January-February issue of the Newsletter(1984) Mr. R. Kannan reported having seen a pair of Glossy Ibis on a Barringtonia tree in Vedanthangal, and asked the readers whether the birds had been seen before at Vedanthangal. He also mentioned that the checklist prepared by the Forest Department contains the Black Ibis but not the Glossy Ibis.

In February 1968 Mr R.A. Stewart Melluish had seen more than twenty Glossy Ibises in the Madurantakam tank which is very close to Vedanthangal. His letter to the editor was published in the issue of the same year. Mr S.K. Reeves sent his comments on the Glossy Ibis, which according to Baker and Inglis (BIRDS OF SOUTHERN INDIA) is a permanent resident in the well-watered districts and found near large tanks.

On February 23, 1979, I visited Vedanthangal and saw three Glossy Ibises dipping themselves in the water near the far end of the tank. It was about 2 p.m. and the birds were gone after a short while. I visited Vedanthangal again a few weeks later. I did not see them.

The Glossy Ibis can easily be mistaken for the better known Black Ibis which generally does not occur in Tamil Nadu. However Badsha in his CHECK LIST  OF BIRDS OF TAMIL NADU has recorded the Black Ibis (at Cuddalore) but not the Glossy Ibis. I have to keep a close watch for these fascinating birds at Madurantakam and Vedanthangal.