Good rains lure migratory birds early to suburbs

Chennai

From last week, Pallikaranai marshland too has started witnessing the arrival of migratory birds.

“The first set of migratory birds have already started visiting the waterbodies in Chennai and Kancheepuram districts. They are a little early this year, and the trend is encouraging in Kelambakkam and Pallikarnai,” said KVRK Thirunaranan, founder, The Nature Trust.

Though Kelambakkam and Pallikaranai are just 10 minutes away as the crow flies, the species found in Kelambakkam are not seen in Pallikaranai. Similarly, a few species spotted in Pallikaranai are not found at the adjacent Kelambakkam or Kovalam backwaters, noted the birdwatcher who is documenting the census for Tamil Nadu Forest Department said.

Long-distance migrants like Eurasian Whimbrel and Rudy turnstone have also arrived. Earlier, birdwatchers had to travel up to Pulicat bird sanctuary located on Andhra Pradesh – Tamil Nadu border to see whimbrel or flamingo. But now these birds are regularly spotted near Chennai, Thirunaranan said. Black-winged stilt, a common migrant to north Tamil Nadu, too have started arriving in large numbers. “Our volunteers are also frequenting Nanmangalam scrub jungle for the early signs of migratory birds,” he added. “The Forest Department should keep more warning boards on migratory birds in Kelambakkam, which is not a protected area. Similarly, the waterbodies near Medavakkam and Sholinganallur need better monitoring by Revenue Department officials as debris continue to be dumped there, choking them,” said advocate N Udayakumar, an avid birdwatcher.

According to Regional Meteorological Centre, Chennai, the State received 32 per cent surplus rain so far this year. With the majority of districts receiving intermittent rains, the Forest Department had asked the field officials to take up bund strengthening and clearing of water catchment areas near bird sanctuaries.

Birdwatchers in the central Tamil Nadu too are expecting more birds to Vaduvoor and Udayamarthandapuram bird sanctuaries, as Mettur dam has received copious inflow. Vedanthangal and Karikilli bird sanctuaries in Chengalpattu district are also gearing up for the migration season. At Vedanthangal, the migration usually starts in October. By next month, the pre-monsoon works would be taken up in bird sanctuaries, a senior Forest official said.