Along with the winter chill, migratory birds have also started arriving in the city. Across the city, birding enthusiasts are reporting that the number of birds and the number of species have seen a dip compared to last year. Areas like Kamla Nehru Ridge and Okhla Bird Park (OBP) have seen a sharp deterioration in habitat.

"At OBP authorities had kept the gates open for over a month to carry out repairs, and these were closed around mid-October. Consequently, the barrage remained dry for almost a month. Unfortunately, that was the time when the migratory season for birds starts. So the winged visitors that had come at that time must have flown to other places. Last year, the wetlands were packed with waders because of the September showers," said Anand Arya, a resident of Noida.

In the northern Ridge, birders say that a large number of monkeys has wrecked havoc and destroyed most of the bird habitat. "The presence of an abnormally large number of monkeys in an area will be disastrous for other species. There is barely anything to see in the northern Ridge. At Bhatti Mines, where the Territorial Army has done great work to revive the mine areas and where a large number of birds have now started coming, the eagle owl breeding area has been endangered by monkeys. This year we have not seen any nest," said Dr Surya Prakash from Jawaharlal Nehru University's School of Life Sciences.

Birders say that man managed habitats are crucial for a healthy bird population, and areas where bird numbers have gone down are those where the managements have failed to preserve the habitat. "The number of passerine birds, or the small birds, is fine and this indicates that the area where they come from is no longer suitable for them. In light of that, the waders, which also come from the same areas of central Asia, have decided to skip Delhi for some reason," said Prakash.

"The green sand piper is among the first waders we get to see in Delhi. On Sunday we spotted only two in Bhindawaas. We also did not get to see the northern pintail or the common teal," he added.

Places in NCR are not faring any better. Suresh Sharma, another avid birder reports that at Bhindawas, Haryana's largest wetland, a profusion of water hyacinth is creating problems for the birds. "Wintering ducks need open water, but the hyacinth has covered most of the water surface here. Other minor problems like heavy vehicular traffic on the embankment and staff shortage also contribute to the problem," says Sharma.

However, birders are hopeful. They say that some migration may still take place once the weather becomes colder. "Dadri is doing well this year, and probably it has the largest migratory bird population in NCR at present," says Arya.

Places like Bhatti Mines and Asola, too, are doing comparatively well where birders have reported sighting important birds like the painted sand grouse, jungle bush quail and the barred button quail. At the Hauz Khas lake - where there has been some improvement in the water quality recently - the brown headed gull, graylag geese and the grey headed canary flycatchers have also been spotted.

Places like IIT Delhi have also reported the arrival of birds like the yellow lap wing, which have forsaken their earlier winter abode like JNU as the habitat is under threat. Passerines that have been reported in large numbers are the black red start, red throated flycatcher, lesser white throat and the grey headed canary flycatcher.

Source: TNN, Nov 29, 2011