Birds back in Bhitarkanika with the onset of monsoon

Kendrapara: With the onset of monsoon, birds have made Bhitarkanika in Kendrapara district their temporary abode again.

The winged species, which thrive on rainy season, have thronged the heronry here in thousands for their annual nesting and breeding.

"With the commencement of rainy season, the monsoon migrant species have arrived in large numbers in Bagagahana heronry for seasonal nesting. They have built nests and laid eggs atop the mangrove trees," said Bimal Prasanna Acharya, divisional forest officer, Rajnagar Mangrove (wildlife) forest division.

Their sojourn would last for three months from now after which they would start their homeward journey, the DFO said.

While the headcount of monsoon migrant birds is yet to be made, an estimated 15,000 local resident water birds too went inside the dense mangrove cover in Bagagahana.

Prominent among the species arriving here for nesting are Grey Heron, Purple Heron, Darter, Cormorant, Large Egret, Intermediary Egret and Little Egret.

The birds' habitat was spread across around four hectares. They move in and around the water bodies adding to the scenic beauty of the place crisscrossed by innumerable water inlets and nullahs is free of human interference.

Last year, 91,545 monsoon birds had thronged the heronry here for their annual sojourn and forest officials are optimistic once the headcount was made this time, the figure would go up.

Lack of human interference, ideal climatic conditions, cool breeze and the river system here all turned out to be conducive for the birds.

Noted ornithologist Dr Salim Ali had made a chance-discovery of Bhitarkanika birds habitat during a casual visit to Bhitarkanika in 1981.