Winged guests make early visit at Chilika

BERHAMPUR: Winter is yet to set in over Orissa but the winged guests have already started thronging Chilika. Wildlife officials have spotted a number of migratory birds in Nalabana Island, the bird sanctuary inside the 1,100-sq km lake, during their field visit over the weekend as part of a training programme on bird identification.The training programme was organised by Chilika Development Authority in collaboration with Bombay Natural History Society to train forest rangers, guards and bird-watchers to identify bird species. “During their visit to the sanctuary in the blue lagoon, they have spotted a number of migratory birds of various varieties,” DFO (wildlife division) B P Acharya said. Migratory birds, including Northern Pintail, Gadwall, Yellow wagtail and pratincole were spotted in the 15.59-sq km Nalabana area, he said.The wildlife division has taken steps to protect the feathered guests. “We have set up two camps in Nalabana area to keep strict vigil on poachers. More such camps would be set up in other parts of the lake in the ensuing days,” he said. The officer, however, said migratory birds were yet to be spotted in large numbers in other parts of the lake. “We are hopeful that in the coming days a large number of migratory birds will visit Chilika,” he said.In the last winter, around 8.04 lakh birds of 169 species had visited the blue lagoon, officials said. Meanwhile, restrictions have been imposed by the officials on movement of motor boats inside the Nalabana bird sanctuary.