Haryana: Terek sandpiper spotted in Dighal wetlands after 9 years

GURUGRAM: A Terek sandpiper, which was last spotted in the area in 2011, was once again seen in Dighal wetlands in Jhajjar. Members of Delhi Bird Society who spotted the bird on August 8 said that the species, which is native to European countries, is rarely seen here. It has an up-curved bill and short orange legs which distinguish it from other sandpipers.
Rakesh Ahlawat, a member of the Delhi Bird Society who spotted the bird, said, “We were on one of our bird spotting trips when I saw the bird. It was feeding on something along with other birds. It was not in a group, which is very rare for migratory birds. I was accompanied by another bird watcher, Dr Krishna who is associated with PGIMS Rohtak, who took the pictures.”

This particular species travels more than thousands of miles to reach India, Australia from December to February and travels back to its native land for breeding in April.
Pankaj Gupta, another bird watcher and member of Delhi Bird Society, added that this species is rare for Haryana. “Even though it is a winter migratory bird, the species doesn’t visit this part of the country. It breeds mostly in European countries such as Norway, Sweden and Finland and migrates to coastal areas during the winter months. It is, therefore, a very rare sighting,” he said, adding that Terek sandpipers were last spotted in the area in 2011.
Even though the sighting has created a wave of excitement among bird enthusiasts, experts feel that there is a possibility that this bird got separated from its group while going towards a coastal area. “Since this species migrates in groups, a singular sighting may raise doubts. There is a strong possibility that the bird got separated from its group,” Gupta added.