Feast for the eyes: Migratory birds’ arrival at Nelapattu, Pulicat lake rises
By Express News Service | Published: 19th December 2017 02:04 AM |
Last Updated: 19th December 2017 07:04 AM | A+A A- |
TIRUPATI: Bringing cheers to bird lovers, over 26 species of migratory birds kept their date with the Pulicat and Nelapattu this season. Coming from over three continents, these birds arrive annually in time for the nesting season. According to BK Singh, Additional Chief Conservator of Forest, Tirupati Wildlife Circle, 1,10,053 birds have arrived so far in the current nesting season.
“The number is expected to increase by the end of first week of January 2018,” said N Hima Sailaja, Divisional Forest Officer, Wildlife Management, Sullurupet Division. For the first time in the history of the lake, or according to records of the Forest Department since a decade, the arrival of ring plover, a tiny guest to India from abroad, has reached the highest number of 11,245. Also 54,268 little stilts have reached the lake. These birds used to arrive in just hundreds only, but this year, they have occupied maximum surface of the lake. Greater flamingos have also reached the bird sanctuary in good numbers. As of today, there are 12,843 flamingos in the sanctuary.
No. of pintails crosses 10,000
So far, 3 lakh fish fingerlings have been released into the Pulicat lake as added supplement of food to the migratory birds. In January, another 3 lakh fingerlings will be released into the lake because the bird population increases due to hatching. However, some fishermen living in villages located along the bank of the lake and its vicinity expressed anger at the Forest Department for stopping their motor boats and restricting their entry into the lake, which deprived them of livelihood.
Different bird species and count
Grey pelican- 1,000 birds; Grey heron- 182; Pond Heron- 684; Painted stork - 1,222; Open billed stork - 684; Little egret - 2,254; Large egret - 644; Cattle egret - 1,623; Little cormorant - 2,254; Oriental white ibis - 655; Glossy ibis - 186; Purple swamphen - 59; Indian moorhen- 63; Curlew - 35; Sandpipers - 3,547; Seagull - 359; Coots - 352; Greenshank - 5,648; River tern - 156; Common kingfisher - 12;
White-throated kingfisher - 5
