Enthusiasts spot rare birds during Delhi Winter Bird Count 2024

NEW DELHI: Over 100 bird enthusiasts from across Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) came together on Sunday for the Delhi Winter Bird Count 2024. Among the highlights of this year’s count were the sightings of several rare species, including the Eurasian Griffon and the Slender-billed Gull.

This event was organized by various bird-watching groups and aimed to assess the population and diversity of bird species in the region. However, participants noted a significant reduction in both aspects compared to previous years, attributing this decline to the delayed onset of winter.

One of the most notable sightings was the Eurasian Griffon at the Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary. Kanwar B Singh, one of the organizers, mentioned that “This is an uncommon occurrence in Delhi-NCR. Only a few sightings have been documented in the last ten years.” Another team at Chandu-Budhera reported spotting the Slender-billed Gull, which is typically found in coastal regions.

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Singh highlighted that the unusually warm October and November could have affected migration patterns. “Winter has not fully settled in. So, the overall count is much lower. Waterfowls and ducks, in particular, are sparse across NCR,” he said.

Different teams covered various locations across the region. Singh’s team, covering the Yamuna floodplains with birders Rohit Sharma and Sunil Kumar, noted interesting sightings such as the Red-crested Pochard, Moustached Warbler, and the Striated Grassbird. Teams at Surajpur and Dhanauri in Greater Noida, led by birders Tapas Mishra, Rohit Sharma, and Jaswinder Waraich, reported the resident race of Peregrine Falcon, known as the Shahin Falcon.

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In Faridabad, the team led by Yogesh Parasher spotted the Hume’s Lark and the Sand Lark. Meanwhile, at Sultanpur Sanctuary and Chandu-Budhera, birders Arvind Yadav and Pankaj Sharma reported sightings including the Common Buzzard, Jack Snipe, and Lesser Black-backed Gull.

Teams in the Aravallis, led by Soma Tripathi, Amit Sharma, and Sunil Harsana, recorded sightings of the rare Marshall’s Iora and the Orphean Warbler. Sohail Madan, director at the WildTales Foundation, mentioned the Eurasian Griffon, a rare migratory vulture, was last seen in 2022 around Surajpur and Mangar Bani.

Despite the overall lower count, the Delhi Winter Bird Count 2024 provided valuable data and reminded everyone of the rich avian diversity in the region.