Shhh! Chandigarh environs are hosting winged visitors

CHANDIGARH - Escaping the harsh cold of their habitats, hundreds of warbling guests - among them brahmi ducks, red-crusted pochards, grebes and geese - have come flocking to Sukhna Lake and the 190 water bodies dotting the area. And they are being made to feel at home.

Migratory birds start arriving in the Sukhna wildlife sanctuary from early November and their stay lasts till March or April, depending on the climatic conditions.

However, hosting these special guests is not an easy task.

“Migratory birds from various cold countries and Himalayan regions have started coming to Chandigarh. They can be seen flocking to Sukhna Lake and at the water bodies in the Sukhna wildlife sanctuary,” Santosh Kumar, Chandigarh’s chief wildlife warden and forests conservator, told IANS.

“These birds are very sensitive; so we have made arrangements to make the environment conducive for them.

“Nobody is allowed to play loud music or burst firecrackers near the lake and the sanctuary as that might disturb their lifestyle. Also, forest guards and officials are keeping a close eye on poachers,” he added.

Migratory birds come from places like Siberia, China and Afghanistan. These are brahmi ducks, common pochards, red-crusted pochards, grebes, geese, shell ducks, marsh ducks, diving ducks, rails, coots, stilts, hill kingfisher, mallard, pintail, cormorants, Siberian ducks, cranes, storks and sandpipers.

Besides, in a bid to attract more tourists to watch these birds, the Chandigarh administration will install a spotting scope at the regulator end of the lake.

“Initially, we will install only one spotting scope on a trial basis. Bird watchers, students and environmentalists can come and watch the activities of these foreign guests. We are bringing it from New Delhi and it costs around Rs.35,000,” Kumar said.

Kumar also said depending on the response from the activity, they will install more such equipment.

Spotting scope is a small portable telescope with additional optics that help in presenting a better image. They are used for bird-watching, hunting, surveillance and for other jobs that require more magnification than a pair of binoculars.

According to forest officials, the winged visitors have been congregating here for the last 25 years as conditions in the region are very hospitable for them. They will be in their full strength by December end.

In 2009, around 8,000 migratory birds had assembled in this union territory.

These birds are also making their abode at water bodies in the Botanical Garden and at Patiala-Ki-Rao Lake in Chandigarh. Pleasant weather conditions and a good number of reptiles and fish in the water bodies provide an ideal habitat.

“Migratory birds travel thousands of miles for several weeks to reach Chandigarh. Due to intense cold and heavy snowfall, there is shortage of food and water for them in their home countries,” said Mahavir Singh, a city-based wildlife expert.

“There are watch towers and hideouts at the sanctuary from where we can closely observe their activities,” Singh said.

(Alkesh Sharma can be contacted at alkesh.s@ians.in)