Deafening twitter at Vedanthangal sanctuary

Birdwatchers are in for a great time, say naturalists

November 04, 2017 04:29 pm | Updated 04:29 pm IST

At the Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary. File Photo

At the Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary. File Photo

Fulvous whistling-duck, a species native to Bangladesh and north-east India, has been spotted again, this nesting season at Vedantangal Bird Sanctuary. According to Range Officer G. Subbiah, the bird had not been spotted at the sanctuary for the last four years.

The sanctuary was opened to visitors on October 16.

“Two weeks ago, around 6,000 migratory birds across 19 species were found at the sanctuary. Now, their population has risen to over 11,000. The lake at Vedanthangal has also been desilted.

Following the torrential rains in December 2015, the 2015-2016 nesting season recorded over 35,000 birds. In the nesting season of 2016-2017, there were only around 22,000 birds, due to poor north-east monsoon in 2016,” adds the Ranger Officer.

Grey heron, white ibis, darters, shovellers, open-billed storks, cormorants, glossy ibis and pelicans, egrets, spotbill duck are among the early arrivals.

Painted storks and spoonbills are expected to come soon.

“The heavy spells of rain in the past few days have increased the water level at the lake. Therefore, we expect this season to be feast for birdwatchers,” says M. Swaminathan, president, Photographic Society of Madras.

G. Vijaykumar, honorary secretary, Madras Naturalists Society, points out that another reason for the drop in the number of birds in the last nesting season.

“There are many paddy fields around Vedanthangal sanctuary. They serve as a source of feed for these migratory birds. With a deficit rainfall in the last north-east monsoon, the agricultural activities too remained subdued and therefore, there could have been a scarcity in the supply of feed for these birds,” says Vijaykumar.

The sanctuary will remain open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. For details, call 044 - 2235 1471.

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