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Dhanauri wetland, a major sarus crane habitat, has dried up due to 'water drought'. Activists and bird watchers express concern over the drying up of the wetland and the impact on bird species. Efforts are being made to restore water in the wetland for the conservation of the ecosystem.
Flamingos. (Photo credit: Jaswinder Waraich) NOIDA: Birders in the city have spotted around 100 flamingoes and at least 40 pelicans at the Okhla Bird Sanctuary in the past few days. Flamingoes have been regular at Okhla for the past two years. They usually stay deeper inside the waters at its shallow patches, but according to birders, this time, they are wading closer to the fringes of the 4 sqkm water body and can be seen without powerful lenses. Birders state the flamingoes are swimming closer to the tar road now to forage in the shallow waters as the water level is currently low. A pelican flock reached the park recently.
Activists said that despite discussions, none of the conservation activities have actually translated to work on the ground so far NOIDA: Despite discussions and promises of conservation, Dhanauri wetland is a poor show for birders this migratory season. For those who have been trekking all the way up to the green fields and the main wetland area this season, it has not been much of an excitement because the main water body that is central to the wetland has shrunk and is crowded with hyacinth leading to very little surface water available for waterfowls — a marked contrast to Surajpur which is a conserved wetland.
Peregrine falcons NOIDA: Peregrine falcons have made an appearance in Noida and Greater Noida with birders spotting quite a few raptors over the past few days. Touted as the fastest in the entire animal kingdom, these birds migrate to NCR every winter to escape cold. Historically, known as the duck hawk in North America, the English and scientific name of the bird means ‘wandering falcon’ as they don’t stay at a particular place for too long. “Peregrine falcon is not just the fastest bird, but it is the fastest species in the entire animal kingdom. For bird watchers, this is a good time to catch a glimpse of these hunters. The birds usually park themselves at a vantage point and swoop down and catch their prey,” Jaswinder Waraich, a Noida-based birder, said. These falcons can fly at a speed of 320 kmph.
Great Heron NOIDA: Almost 8,000 birds have flown into Okhla Bird Sanctuary this time with officials claiming that more than 46 species have been spotted already. The park was late in preparing the waters for the visitors, but they have arrived on time and in good numbers. According to officials, 8,000 is a good number considering it is mid-December and more birds could come in. Great Cormorant The park usually gets over 15,000 migratory birds by the end of March. The sanctuary that had been shut because of the lockdown for about five months has recently opened for visitors. Northern shovelers, Northern pintails, common teals, Gadwalls, Eurasian coots, Eurasian widgeons, common pochards, black-headed gulls, brown-headed gulls, Pallas’s gull, glossy Ibis, barn swallows, great crested grebe, bar-headed goose, greylag goose, Eurasian spoonbill, greater flamingos, grey herons and great cormorants are some of the birds that have been seen in the park.