Only 2 flamingos at stay in a bird sanctuary
PRASHANT NIKALE
NASHIK:
Three rarely sighted species of birds have been spotted this year by the birdwatchers at Nandur Madhyameshwar Wildlife Sanctuary, the ‘Bharatpur of Maharashtra’ called by Dr Salim Ali. The bird species of Booted Warbler, Little Crake and Spotted Crake have been spotted by the birdwatchers in Nandur Madhyameshwar Bird Sanctuary.
The migration is very low this year compared to previous years. The water level is still high in the backwaters of the Nandur Madhyameshwar dam. The temperature is not dropping significantly this year, has also affected the migration, informed forest official Ashok Kale.
He also informed Deshdoot Times, “The flocks of flamingos have left the sanctuary. There are only two flamingos that have stayed here. The conditions are not suitable yet for the migratory birds at the sanctuary. We are hoping here that the situation will change. We have already counted around 18,000 birds here.”
The water released from Gangapur and Darana water reservoirs upstream is stored at Nandur Madhyameshwar and subsequently released from here through canals to further places. Annually a lot of silts and organic matter carried away with water flow is accumulated on banks.
As such islands and shallow water ponds have been created, having biological enriched conditions by which aquatic vegetation has been established.
Little Crake
The little crake is a very small waterbird of the family Rallidae. This species is migratory, wintering in Africa. At 17–19 cm (6.7–7.5 in) in length, they are slightly smaller than the spotted crake, from which they are readily distinguished by the lack of dark barring and white spots on the flanks. The little crake has a short straight bill, yellow with a red base. They have green legs with long toes and a short tail which is barred black and white underneath.
Spotted Crake
The spotted crake is a small waterbird of the family Rallidae. They nest in a dry location in marsh vegetation, laying 6–15 eggs. This species is migratory, wintering in Africa and Pakistan. At 19–22.5 cm (7.5–8.9 in) length, spotted crakes are slightly bigger than little crake from which they are readily distinguished by the short straight bill, yellow with a red base.
Adults have mainly brown upperparts and blue-grey breast, with dark barring and white spots on the flanks. They have green legs with long toes and a short tail which is buff underneath.
Booted Warbler
The booted warbler is an Old World warbler in the tree warbler group. These are small warblers, especially compared to others in their genus. They are pale brown (weak tea colour) above and whitish below with buff flanks. The outer tail feathers have pale edges. They have a short pale supercilium, and the bill is strong and pointed. Sykes’s is larger and greyer than booted, and most resemble an eastern olivaceous warbler.
