Vadodara: Bird lovers were a disappointed lot when the only nest of a black-necked stork in Vadodara fell off a tree near Wadhwana Lake and got damaged a few days ago. Foresters felt that the bird may migrate to some other location to build its new home. But the stork couple, it seems, has decided to make a new nest in the same area.
Over last few days, the storks have been putting together a nest on a tree right next to Simaliya Lake behind Wadhwana. “It will take them several days to build the nest that is located on the top of the tree. Storks always build nests at a height. That they have chosen the same area to build their nest again means that the couple will reside here for years to come,” said Baldevsinh Waghela, divisional forest officer (wildlife), Vadodara.
Locals staying near the lake said that the stork couple spends the entire day away from its nest and returns in late evening. “They are very shy birds and prefer to stay away from crowd and noise. When their nest fell down some days ago, we thought that they may fly to some other location,” said Kartik Upadhyay, a bird watcher.
The storks are very protective about their babies so they design their nest like a fenced fort. By using thorny bushes, this bird builds the nest in such a way that the reptiles cannot enter it from any direction. For the hunters who come from above, the stork is always prepared and combative. The nest of black-necked stork near Wadhwana is among the 16 nests that the bird has in Gujarat.
The stork nest that fell off the tree is being conserved by the forest department that plans to display it at the ecological camp site for public viewing. Very few black-necked storks are now seen in the state and ornithologists feel that if not protected, they may disappear.
Splendid storks
Black-necked storks are a loner and build their nest at isolated spots near marshy areas. These birds feed on frogs, small reptiles and earthworms. At five-feet, the black-necked storks are the tallest among the storks. Once they build the nest at any spot, they return to the same abode for years to breed.