Early winter: Migratory birds start arriving in Chilika lake

BERHAMPUR: Migratory birds have started arriving at the Chilika after flying for thousands of miles.
"We have spotted over 22,000 birds of 62 different species in the 1,100 sq.km vast lake," said Sarat Chandra Mishra, assistant conservator of forests (ACF), Chilika wildlife division. Over 5,000 have swooped down on the 15.69 sq.km Nalaban bird sanctuary inside the lake, he said.
The birds started arriving in the second week of October, about a week later than the previous year, he said. Among the migratory birds are northern pintail, gadwall, shovellers and common coot. Several birds are flying near Chilika and might land once the water level recedes. "We expect more birds will arrive by October-end," he added.
As many as 12, 42,826 birds of 190 different species were counted in the blue lagoon the previous winter.
The water level of the lake is high due to the prolonged rains in the months of September and October. "Migratory birds find it difficult to get food in the submerged water body," said U N Dev, an ornithologist.