Gaja, no rain force birds to skip north Tamil Nadu, migrate elsewhere

According to the census data now being documented by TN foresters, large migratory birds like Pelican, Spoonbill, painted stork and bar-headed goose which visit wetlands here avoided the delta region and pockets of north Tamil Nadu this time.

“The contradiction in annual migration pattern indicates deficit rainfall in north Tamil Nadu and cyclone Gaja forced migratory birds to find new habitat in western and southern Tamil Nadu,” said conservation scientist A Kumaraguru, working with the TN Forest Department in compiling census data related to bird sanctuaries and wetlands in Delta region and the sprawling Muthupet lagoon sandwiched between Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam districts. In Muthupet, Open bill population is encouraging and the collapse of large trees in the lagoon has forced the Brahmini kite and migratory birds to share the remaining trees, Kumaraguru, who led the census in Tiruvarur, said.

According to Thiruvarur district forest officer P Aruloli, the census at Vaduvoor and Uthayamarthandapuram bird sanctuaries came to an end with Vaduvoor recording around 24,000 birds spreading into 114 species. Four census teams were formed for each sanctuary to cross-check and double check inputs. To support the documentation, photographs of flocks, nests and chicks were recorded. A total of 48,514 birds were recorded over two days and this puts the annual average around 24,000. Migratory birds including Ruff, Common Teal and Shovellers topped this year’s list. More than 4,000 Ruffs and 2,103 Common Teals were recorded, the DFO said.

“More terrestrial species were recorded this year when compared to the water birds. The arrival of several large birds was delayed due to Gaja, but backyard birds like egrets and herons visited Vaduvoor in large numbers,” said Mannargudi forest range officer A Thaheer Ali. At Uthayamarthandapuram bird sanctuary, Cormorants outnumbered other bird species. More than 1,500 Cormorant chicks hatched out, the ranger added

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“Arrival of migratory birds has dipped drastically in north TN particularly Vedanthangal and Karikkili, but movement of birds like harrier and eagles are encouraging in Kancheepuram. Large migratory birds particularly painted storks have preferred Koondanthkulam in Tirunelveli and wetlands in Coimbatore due to good water storage levels,” said wildlife photographer Kishore Dhamodharan who frequents wetlands in Southern and Western Tamil Nadu.