Nanmangalam redux

 March 12th 2022

What a lovely morning today at Nanmangalam RF.  Looking back at my blog, I realise its been years (12 years in fact!) since I went in there.  IN 2008, I went on a nature walk with MNS and Bhanu in there, and was introduced to the many wonders of the TDEF including the GHO.  I re-read with amusement trying to find my way there - (no Google Maps).

Our son (a dramatis personae in many of my visits in two Nanmangalam) has "fledged" and the years have well, fled, and to my surprise, Nanmangalam looked better - cleaner, less garbage and more forested.  

Left home at 530 am, picked up Sagarika along the way and arrived at the gates by 615, and as soon as we entered the gates there was that nice woody smell, and the air was cooler.  Almost immediately, the road noises died, and were replaced by the calls of the Brainfever bird and an Asian Koel, almost like a welcome.

At the Interpretation Centre, I looked around and was astonished at the growth of all the little saplings I had seen those many years ago.  How nice to see a tall Red Sanders, Teak trees and scrub too.  Most of us do not appreciate scrub enough - it is such a wonderful host to bird and insect life.

Companions today were the MNS Backbencher gang, with some additions - Janani whom I met for the first time and realised that she was born after I graduated, and Vidya from Stella Maris.  Srinivas it was with whom we went.  Janani, Umesh and Sagarika were the photographers with their serious equipment, Vidya was making a list, pen-on-paper, Srinivas was logging directly into his e-bird list, Kalpana was busy with flora too....and I was the one who had no agenda... no responsibility...very nice indeed.  Just binocularing and bipedding.  

Everything was still in silhouette and shadow as we started towards the quarry.

Peacock calls filled the air - they seem to have come in to the city through the lockdown, and made it home.  Janani captured this male in flight, in all its colourful glory.

There is a joy in malingering and dawdling when in a forest.  Every step brings some new delight.  Munias in large flocks sped by from east to west.  At least 200 or more, probably scaly-breasted.  The Francolins called from the scrub.   

Ashy Woodswallows swooped and dived and then went back and perched back in their characteristic huddle together, like a rugby team ready for a scrum! (Photo by Janani)

While this one seemed to be curious about the cameraperson.  (Photo by Sagarika)

Red Whiskered Bulbuls called cheerfully as I admired the different kinds of white flowers growing in the sides of the track.

Mealy bugs, whiteflies and carpenter bees, Aavaram poo, Carissa and Mallows.  Dodonea bushes reminded me of Yercaud Youreka camp.  

We even had a Spoonbill flypast.  Photo by Janani

TDEFs are filled with white flowering plants, and so it was here too.  I think this was an Ipomoea of some sort.

While this was a Carissa probably.

Lifers for me - Much excitement over a fleeting glimpse over a Forest Wagtail - which I have not seen in all these years, and that very uncommon Common Babbler.  

My fleeting glimpse of forest wagtail (Dendronanthus indicus), was all that Umesh needed to capture this beautiful image, on a leafless tree in the early morning light.  This winter visitor has eluded me all these years.  As Janani remarked, we are used to searching for wagtails on the ground, but this one is unique, a "forest" one.  And to add to that, its tail wag is also sideways supposedly.

The uncommon Common Babbler - Photo by Janani - that was spotted near one of the check dams.    

A few more pictures - here with tail seen - Photo by Sagarika - on a different branch.  I would have assumed it was a prinia, if not for Umesh's idying skills.  The white throat, and streaked brown back (and that crotchety babbler look?!) are possibly pointers.  

The common babbler (Argya caudata).  Photo by Sagarika.  The species has been moved from Laughing Thrushes (Turdoides) to Babblers.  It seems to be endemic to India.

Seed pods in black filled a shrub, 

while thorns galore protected this leafless Prosopsis cineraria, 

a Laughing Dove seemed to think the thorns of the Prosopsis were a joke,  (Photo by Sagarika)

and for these thorns, the sky was the limit. 

The quarry waters were delightfully clean.   The air was filed with birds calls - the white-browed babblers gurgled in the undergrowth, Booted Warblers and Blyth's too, a Pond Heron squawked, and  on the opposite side, a pair of Indian Robins hopped around, the reddish vent of the male flashing every now and then as it flicked its tail this way and that.

A Cormorant sat atop a bare dead tree trunk in the middle of the quarry, preening itself, in-between extreme meditation.  Photo by Umesh.

 A Common Kingfisher of absolutely brilliant blue streaked by before settling on a branch on the opposite side. The Common Kingfisher - Photo by Janani

We scanned the quarry rocks for signs of the GHO, but no luck.  The Forest Rangers said that hadn't seen them for three months now.  I hope they haven't abandoned their roost.

The forest was filled with Siris trees.  Some like this one were in flower, others were in pod.  Blue-face Malkohas were sighted in one.  

Another one seemed to have just had a dip in the quarry and was shaking the water off its feathers.  Photo by Janani

The Forest Rangers were very knowledgeable, and we enjoyed their company.  Umesh showed them pics through his camera LCD finder, and they were delighted too!  I think the best moment was the all-round delight at the Malkoha  with the ruffled, post-bath look!

The avaram bushes were like a shower of sunshine amongst the drying undergrowth.

They were all buzzing with active Carpenter bees, some with their heads looking like they were carrying a load of gold!  The (male?) bee with a load of gold,  (Photo by Janani)

..and a (female?) bee without.  (Photo by Umesh)

A Fragrant Swamp Mallow stood delicately on the side, unnoticed.

We were reluctant to leave, enjoying the Shikras in the air, the Laughing Doves and Coppersmith Barbets calling, Drongos snapping up insects on the go, and that unbelievably brilliantly coloured Green Bee-eater. Srinivas gently trying to make us get a move on - its a difficult job getting MNS sorts moving - Sekar will vouch for it.  

The Green bee-eater Photo by Janani

Now, the butterflies also began to appear, and our return was spent with Sagarika, Kalpana and Vidya trying to capture those flutterbys.  I watched them, crouch and squat, crane their necks and focus, focus.  They looked as industrious as the other creatures of the forest.  I was the indolent day dreamer, the lotus eater, rambling with my binoculars!!

Common Cerulean that is actually brown - Photo by Sagarika

Zebra Blue among the grasses - Photo by Sagarika

Srinivas completed his e-bird list on-the-go, and said 53 species at the end of the walk, as we headed home.

As we drove back through Velachery/Vijaynagar, I was also filled with other memories - of Navadisha, Montessori, yearly rain holidays, Mothi Travels, chittis. "Good old days", as my father always likes to say. 

(And I crossed 100 bird species seen this year.)

Urbaser Eco Warriors

 10th March 2022

A morning on the beach. Since it was a low tide morning.

Started with the thickets and scrub near 4th Seaward Road.  A hoopoe dug furiously in the soft sand, picking up breakfast.  Flew as I approached, only to be chased by a crow for some reason.

A couple of Plain Prinias flitted through the Calatropis, and I watched them move up and down the branch, before zooming off to the next one.  I admired their beautiful white brows, pink legs and longish tail.  Among them was a Tailorbird, a little stockier, and calling loudly.   Soon the Prinias went one way and the Tailorbird another way.

A Cattle Egret moved in slow motion among the grasses.  

I moved on the the water front, and was horrified by what I saw.

The sea had just deposited piles of waste - I had never seen anything like this.

Just piles of waste - cloth, plastic, slippers, bottles, medicine strips....a veritable tsunami of garbage.

And then suddenly - a broom, a pile of waste...hmm?

Walk a few more steps, more brooms and more signs of a clean-up, and I spied the Urbaser crew!

Hats off to the team who were methodically raking and collecting the waste, and removing them in large bags. We exchanged cheery hellos, and I thanked them for their efforts.

And this was what the beach sands looked like after they were done!  

What a joy and delight!

Today's beach combing

A Torpedo Ray(!!), Tower shells, Razor clam shells... 

Wedge clams a plenty

Sunset siliqua and Towers

White Hammer Oyster and other unknowns

And this strange piece of bone...Mammalian?  

Back on to the road, down to Sparrow Point where I was rewarded with a flock of 20 House Sparrows, chirping and arguing.  A sudden commotion from one of the homes along the wall, a man brandishing a stick and chasing a cat, that was super frisky and obviously had something in its mouth - a live squirrel!  The cat won its catch, as it escaped the man's stick.

Another Urbaser crew cleaning the beach roads.  

A line of two wheelers in queue, performing figures of eight as the RTO Inspector looked on.

Back home, hungry, and I did enjoy those dosais and coffee!

A Dugong reserve announced

Better late than never: Experts on Tamil Nadu’s decision to go ahead with dugong reserve in Palk Bay

While India may be late, a conservation step such as this one is always welcome, they said

Marine biologists have welcomed the Tamil Nadu government’s recent decision to go ahead with the establishment of a conservation reserve for the elusive dugong (Dugong dugon), a sirenian species native to parts of the Indian littoral.

The Tamil Nadu government had announced September 3, 2021 that a dugong conservation reserve would be established in the Gulf of Mannar, Palk Bay between India and Sri Lanka, for the conservation of the animals.

“The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden has submitted a concept note towards establishment of a Dugong Conservation Reserve,” a note released by the Tamil Nadu government February 15, 2022, said.

“The Government, after careful examination have decided to accept the above concept note of the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden for creation of Dugong Conservation Reserve in Palk Bay,” it added.

The note directed the PCCF to send the draft notification of the proposal for obtaining the concurrence of the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

00:05 01:01  

The TN government also accorded administrative approval for a sum of Rs 25 lakh for the preparation of a detailed project report and carrying out baseline field studies.

Vardhan Patankar, marine biologist, Wildlife Conservation Society-India, told Down To Earth:

It is definitely a late step because dugongs are on the verge of extinction. In the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, their population is less than 100. There are very few left in the Gulf of Mannar. In the Gulf of Kutch, there are very few sporadic records. They were present in Lakshadweep but now are locally extinct. We are too late in the light of all this. But it is good that we are taking steps at least now to conserve the species.

Sajan John, head of marine projects, Wildlife Trust of India, called it a heartening step as the proposal has come from the government. “Most governments are pro-development and conservation takes a backseat,” he said.

But he said one would have to wait and watch as to how this would actually translate into conserving the species.

“We have already declared dugongs as a Schedule I animal under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Legally, it was given the highest protection. It is hard to say right now as to how designating a conservation reserve just for dugongs will translate on the ground for their conservation,” he said.

Indeed, the implementation of the government’s order is going to be tough.

Declaring an area as ‘protected’ means there will be no human interference in there. “In forested landscapes, this is easy. There may be some tribal communities dependent on non-timber forest produce. But usually, fringe villages may not be that dependent,” John said.

“But in case of marine reserves, the sea is a type of commons. And coastal communities are highly dependent on it. By designating a protected marine area, you are literally denying the resources to such people. That is why there are community and conservation reserves. This will be a conservation reserve and it will be co-managed. But it still takes time for a management plan to be put in place,” he added.

Also, what next in dugong conservation in India? Patankar said massive awareness was needed about the dugong as very few people knew about them even in the Andamans where they are the state animal.

“The main cause of mortality for dugongs is accidental entanglement. They are marine mammals and have to surface every four minutes to breathe. Fishermen use gilnets and dugongs get trapped and killed in them unintentionally. This must be stopped,” he said.

This could be done through incentive programmes which many institutes already offer, Patankar said.

“For instance, if a dugong gets captured and is released by fishermen, they get Rs 5,000 if they provide photo documentation of the act. If the government ensures that every dugong release is celebrated it can work wonders,” Patankar noted.

Fishing communities should also decide to shift to other sources of food rather than hunt dugongs for meat if they want their future generations to see dugongs, he added.

“Also, dugongs are protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 which means they have the highest level of legal protection under Indian law. But very few people have been arrested, imprisoned or prosecuted for poaching dugongs. The enforcement of the law needs to be strengthened if you want to conserve the species,” Patankar said.

For John, the next step in dugong conservation is the preservation of the threatened seagrass ecosystem. “Ultimately, if there is no seagrass, dugongs will perish,” he said.

Adyar Poonga from the outside

 11th to 13th February 2022

Day 1

Morning walks in a different neighbourhood bring different joys and delights.  A little peek through the gap in the shrubbery revealed the waters of the Adyar Poonga, as I walked down the western sidewalk of Greenways road, towards Santhome.

No Binoculars and myopia meant I saw the Pelican swimming serenely, but what were those little waders?  They stood still and seemed rather lethargic.  Too big and inactive for sandpipers, too plump for Black-Winged Stilts.  

I enjoyed the breeze, the call of the white-browed bulbuls, the flight of the little egret over the water's surface, instead.

Tried to wheedle my way in to the Poonga via the side gates, but no luck - watchman were pretty firm about not letting anyone in.  I walked through one eastward cul-de-sac, which ended in the Fisheries Office, alongside Quibble Island cemetery.  A nice walk but for the smell of well, fish.  

On going back home, Sekar casually says there is a pedestrian bridge across the Poonga, from the road next to the India Cements building - How does he know these things, seriously?  I am very sceptical - first of all where is this road next to IC office, and how can there be a bridge across the Poonga, I mean, how??

Day 2

Next morning, I retraced my steps, armed with binoculars, and lo and behold, those gundu stock still birds were revealed - Grey-headed Lapwings.  I was very happy to come across them - after a few years.  Winter migrants, they are rather different from the busy resident Red Wattled Lapwings.  Striking looking with their black breast band.  There was also a large flock of BWS, with their pink legs, mirrored in the water too.

A couple of Night Herons were busy in their own focussed worlds.

I had another goal from the previous day - finding that bridge - which I was quite sure didn't exist.  So I retraced my steps, back to the Indian Cements building....and there was the road going west...Karpagam Gardens...ok Sekar, I found it!  Nice tree-lined avenue, with the regular morning sounds.    

And there at the end of the road, was Karpagam Bridge!!! Across the Poonga, yes indeed, Sekar.  I loved the way it was designed, with the trellis to allow a look-see into the Poonga, and little wider alcoves, to sit in the evenings, if you so desired.  

The view through the trellis, looking west. One of the Poonga workers was picking up trash - bottles carelessly chucked over the bridge (Why, people?)  I thanked him for doing his job, and commiserated with him.

I spied the Poonga walking paths

And the workers going about their work, sweeping and cleaning the paths.  Squirrels enjoyed the trellis racing up and down, and getting startled seeing my face suddenly.

The view on the other side.  The Portea tree was full of the sound of white-browed bulbuls.  A lady passing by with her shopping told me that I should come earlier to find the birds (It was after 8am), as she hurried back home.

At the edge, I could hear the loud cackling of white-breasted waterhens, among the reeds at the water's edge, while a pelican paddled away from me.

As I crossed the kalyana mangalam, I saw this sewage truck that had the Made in India lion - a recycling sewage tank is it?

Day 3

I followed the lady's tip and started with Karpagam bridge, but no luck there.

I walked back via Quibble cemetery, wandered through the ancient graves, and saw a large blooming Kapok

14th Feb saw the BWS on the backwaters, and I managed to get on decent binocs-phone-cam shot

That evening, the sunset over the Adyar, brought gold to the waters - I could see the wader flocks near the bridge take to the air, but they were too far for me to figure out whether they were plovers or sandpipers, stints or shanks.

The interconnectedness of it all

Exactly a year ago, to the day, we did a trip to take part in the MNS Intertidal survey toYedianthittu and Kaliveli, and now this year, these are the development plans that are underfoot.

Twin harbours cement crisis in Kaliveli: Expert- The New Indian Express

Project launched by fisheries dept poses threat to Olive Ridley nesting ground and bird sanctuary, say environmentalists

SV Krishna Chaitanya

Yedayanthittu island, where migratory birds congregate in large numbers. (Photo | Express)

Yedayanthittu island, where migratory birds congregate in large numbers. (Photo | Express)

VILLUPURAM: The State fisheries department has begun work on the controversial twin fishing harbours inside the Kaliveli estuary bordering Chengalpattu and Villupuram districts. Multiple access roads are being laid on the nesting grounds of Olive Ridley sea turtles to facilitate the movement of men and machinery. 

The pristine white sandy beaches on either side of the Kaliveli and Yedayanthittu estuary are frequented by Olive Ridleys for nesting. As on Saturday, community volunteers engaged with turtle conservation said, there were around 120 live nests in Paramankeni, Thaluthaliyur, Panayur Chinna Kuppam, Alamparai and Thandu Mariamman Alamparai beaches and the number is expected to peak in the coming days as the nesting season extends up to April.    

Roads being built across the tidal waterbody in preparation for constructing fishing harbour.

TNIE visited Alamparai Kuppam and Azhagan Kuppam, where the twin fishing harbours were proposed, each designed to park 110 mechanised boats and 300 motorised boats at a combined cost of Rs 235 crore. Work is going on at a brisk pace. Tonnes of construction debris has been dumped on the Alamparai beach for laying a motorable road to bring boulder stones for the construction of groynes. An area of five hectares of sandbar would be dredged to develop a 100 meters wide navigation channel connecting the Bay of Bengal and the Kaliveli backwaters. 

A fisheries department official, who was on the spot supervising the works, told TNIE the road work will be completed within a week and heavy vehicles will be deployed to transport the stones. The fishing harbour at Azhagan Kuppam is coming up near Yedayanthittu island, where migratory birds congregate in large numbers. Here, a road has been already built and a container ‘work-station’ cabin set up. Red flag posts were erected for about 1 km marking the navigation channel route, where dredging work will shortly commence.         

A view of a large expanse of Kaliveli backwaters where two fishing harbours are proposed. 

The irony is that the majority of fishermen in the surrounding villages are against the harbour project. Based on the information gathered by TNIE, there are hardly any mechanised vessels in Chengalpattu and Villupuram districts. In Chengalpattu, there are only four vessels and in Villupuram 24.

Athiyar, a motorised boat owner from Kottaikadu, said there is no demand for such large jetties or harbours. The few mechanised vessels are currently using either Kasimedu harbour in Chennai or Puducherry harbour.“The project will displace hundreds of small-scale and marginalised fishers, who depend on abundant fish, oysters, clams and other shellfish. Once the harbours are built, the water will get polluted with oil spills and other discharges,” he said. 

Saralan, one of the very few graduates from Muttukadu village, alleged that only a few big fishing villages like Kadapakkam, Azhangankuppam, and Alamparaikuppam will benefit from the harbour, while over 20 small coastal villages dependent on backwaters will be affected.

However, M Murugesan, executive engineer, Department of Fisheries, claimed there will be no adverse impact on the ecosystem or livelihood of small fishers. “The navigation channel inside the estuary will be just 40 meters wide, while the width of the lake is about 500 meters. There will be a dedicated committee, composed of officials and experts, who will monitor the disposal of waste. Chances of oil spills are minimal. Besides, we are receiving a lot of applications from the fishermen in the area for tuna longliners and conversion of boats into deepsea vessels for which the government offers 50 per cent subsidy.”

‘Protect bird sanctuary’

The recently declared Kaliveli bird sanctuary is contiguous with the estuary. Both are connected by a tidal channel. Any pollution in the estuarial waters will cause irreversible damage to the bird sanctuary, which recorded one of the highest migratory bird pollution in the State during the recent bird census carried out by the State forest department. 

"We urge you to take measures to protect Kaliveli bird sanctuary and its high biodiversity by increasing its Eco-Sensitive Zone to include the creek and estuary, since they are ecologically contiguous and single hydrological system. We also urge you to appeal to the fisheries department to relocate the fishing harbours," said Madras Naturalists' Society president KV Sudhakar and its honorary secretary G Vijaya Kumar in the letter addressed to Chief Wildlife Warden Shekhar Kumar Niraj. 

The proposed harbours at their present location will block and destroy the connectivity of Kaliveli lake to the ocean, which is bound to affect the food availability for both migrant and resident bird species. Moreover, fuel leaks, oil spills, wash-water, sewage and other effluents from the harbour sites, as mentioned in the EIA, are bound to pollute the Bird Sanctuary, the letter reads. 

An aerial view of  Yedayanthittu island where large congregations of migratory birds are found.   

Also, the nearshore waters off Kaliveli and the inshore coastal waters in the region host a considerable diversity of whales and dolphins given the complex bathymetry of trenches and canyons close to shore. Some cetaceans recorded year around (resident populations), live or stranded, include Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphin, Finless Porpoise, Spinner Dolphin, Pan-tropical Spotted Dolphin, Bottlenose Dolphin, Blue Whale, Bryde’s Whale and Sperm Whale.

The presence of Sperm Whales has been reported by local people, and the area is perceived to be an important calving ground for these species. All of these species are Schedule I species and facing different levels of threat on the IUCN Red List. 

The presence of mechanised fishing will threaten cetacean populations causing death due to bycatch and ship strikes. While the Bird Sanctuary is a rich habitat, so is the creek and estuary of Kaliveli where the project is proposed. 163 species of birds have been recorded at the Kaliveli estuary as compared to the low number of 49 species stated in the EIA, of which several are Near Threatened, or come under the Convention of the Conservation of Migratory

species. 

"Birds like the Whiskered Terns, Northern Pintail, Little Stint and others have been recorded in their thousands during Asian Waterfowl Censuses. This is also the location where the threatened Grey Tailed Tattler is sighted commonly, the only other place in Tamil Nadu other than Pulicat," said bird expert M Yuvan. 

He said the 5,151.60 hectares Kaliveli bird sanctuary was declared after the studies for the proposed harbours were conducted. Therefore, new studies by qualified ecological scientists are required to investigate their impact on the sanctuary and its wildlife.  

A Jacana start to my birding year

 5th January 2022

My first birding outing of the year with Umesh and Srinivas.  They picked me up before 6 am, and with masks, binoculars and water, we went down OMR to explore(for me first time ) the rear of the Perumbakkam water body, close to where the International Village School is located.

As we wound through the roads of the colony that is well, developing in marshland, there was much muttering and exclaiming from Srinivas and Umesh, as they remarked how even more plots have gone, and walls have come up where there was none before.  Habitat loss in front of our eyes.

We reached the border of the lake at around 615, and dawn was just breaking.  

There was nothing much by way of water bird life here - the water was deep - and so we moved further west, where we could see the edge of the marsh.

We walked through an (as yet) empty plot, with a bunch of these puppies following us.  A couple of them took a great fancy to my sandals and pants, tugging at them, in mock play, before losing interest and then chasing each other!

Srinivas then went even further west, on a road with large craters, and mountains for manholes - some motocross GP skills on his part - which was the local facility for the construction workers, who were involved in their morning ablutions and were quite startled by this strange threesome, who had cameras but were not taking selfies.

This part of the marsh had less water and so the waders and jacanas were out in full force.  I have never seen so many jacanas at one go!  Hundreds upon hundreds.  
 

Open-billed storks also were in plenty, flying overhead in formation

As we scanned the marsh, Umesh and I argued about the difference between a pylon, post and pillar.  If you are wondering why, he grumbled that I was misdirecting him by wrongly misidentifying these important markers, here he was staring at the pillar when I  should have been saying post, etc etc.  (Not that he missed anything, he was "just saying". )

A purple heron greatly improved the drab concrete scenery

The complete list from this Classic Farms side is here, compiled methodically by Srinivas, down to the last wagtail.

We drove back to the familiar northern side of the lake after this.  A road that was familiar to me two years ago, when we used to bring the NIFT students on a nature walk.

This was a favourite spot, always, with cormorants, kingfishers and pelicans, which would usually delight the students.  This time also, the shrub was full of activity.

There were Northern Pintails everywhere - swimming in the waters, preening on the edge of the lake and sunning and sleeping further up on the banks.

We drove a bit further down and caught a meditating purple heron, and a Pipit walking on the wall/bund.  

Blue-tailed bee-eaters delighted us with their aerial swoops as they caught insects and came back to their perch.

Look at the colours!

Complete list of the lake northern front here.

We then drove into the ELCOT area, where more surprises awaited me.  Last time during the bird race, we had walked in, only to be stopped by the guards, who were not very impressed with our birding activity.  However, going in, in a car, is perfectly acceptable it seems. So in we went, and stopped near the water-filled plot, which I hope will not be developed.

 A Little Egret seemed to pose for us, its breeding plumage fluttering in the breeze, its yellow feet clearly seen

A bunch of Fulvous Whistling Ducks first caught our eye, paddling in the water, behind the egret.

And as we scanned the banks we saw Wigeons and Shovelers a plenty.

And just as we were about to leave, a group of Garganeys came swimming to the bank.  

I was seeing migratory ducks after a couple of years of Covid-lack-of-birding.  I am hoping this year is an improvement on the last!  The Elcot list is here.  

Many thanks to Umesh and Srinivas for this little outing, and hoping for many more.  Some dragonflies later, we headed back.  A customary stop for samosas - my offer of digestive biscuits was sneered at - and tea resulted in babblers being added to the list! 

An article in The Hindu

Wetland bursting at the seams with jacanas?

The water levels have dropped in the northern and southern extremities of the Perumbakkam wetland, and both the pheasant-tailed and the bronze-winged are making the most of it

Pheasant-tailed and bronze winged jacanas at the Perumbakkam wetland on December 24, 2021. Photos: Prince Frederick

Prince Frederick

When a family member tends towards corpulence, it hardly registers in the mind till their drapes start bursting, the buttons flying with the muzzle velocity of a firearm. Equating resident birds with the close-of-kin, birders are beginning to notice that the Perumbakkam wetland is bursting at the seams with jacanas.

On the southern and northern extremities of the wetland, water has drained hugely and noticeably — respectively — exposing vegetation the pheasant-tailed and bronze-winged jacanas take to, with their never-ending jacanidae toes. They are making the most of it — particularly the pheasant-tailed jacana.

Not many days ago, when birder Gnanaskandan Keshavabharathi scanned the expanse, mumbling numbers, his tally of pheasant-tailed jacanas stood somewhere around 200. He had also counted nearly a dozen bronze-winged jacanas. Counting independently on another day, birder Sundaravel Palanivel’s arrived at a guesstimate: a whopping 400 jacanas with much of that number being racked up by the pheasant-tailed jacanas.

Either way, the jacana presence is monstrously high. Juveniles, particularly of the pheasant-tailed, make up a neat percentage of the gathering. There are also pheasant-tailed togged in their delectable breeding colours and extended sickle.

A stray thought enters the frame, altering the picture. Having guzzled water through November, the Perumbakkam is now somewhat akin to a lung whose fluid build-up is being cleared slowly. The draining is massively incomplete, with the central sections of the wetland still retaining pools of water.

Ornithologist V Santharam notes that this could be a temporary phenomenon resulting from cramped lodgings. Once the water recedes from the other parts, and the wetland gets more accessible to them, the jacanas would be more spread out. When that happens, the sense of mammoth presence would also diminish.

It could well be that the jacanas had been present earlier too in such impressive numbers, but were never shoehorned into small spaces with favourable vegetation.

The ornithologist brings yet another perspective to the jacana-dominated picture. “Congregations of jacanas are not unusual. If they have juveniles now, they must have finished their breeding a little earlier. They probably have different breeding schedules. May be post-breeding, they are congregating at a place that is relatively safe and they have enough food.”

Among the many things that stand out in the tightly-congregations of pheasant-tailed jacanas is cantankerous infighting. Every other second, two jacanas would go up in a flurry of quarrelsome and unruly feathers.

Santharam explains: “They defend small territories within which they can enjoy exclusive feeding rights. I have seen this with rails and coots — they also have a strong territorial instinct. In contrast, waders are migratory; they come here and find the food to be abundant and they go about their business quietly. These resident birds are more specialised in their feeding, looking for things in vegetation, and it is not an easy kind of food to access, and probably, they need to have some space to themselves.”

The original jacana congregation point

V Santharam, ornithologist and director of the Institute of Bird Studies at Rishi Valley, recalls how jacanas ruled the roost at two jheels in North Chennai — back then, North Madras.

“In the 1980s, we used to go to the Manali and Madhavaram jheels (famously known as the twin jheels). we used to access it from the Manali side. I do not remember the bus route — we used to take that bus from Burma Bazaar and it will drop us right at the village, and from there, we would walk about 200 metres and we would reach this place. We used to go through the village and then go into a mango orchard. There would be the shallow waters in front of us, full of lotus leaves — we used to count, most of time, 150 to 200 jacanas. And together, these jheels would be just one-tenth the size of the Perumbakkam wetland.”