NOIDA: With winter knocking on the door, the
Okhla Bird Sanctuary
in Noida has started welcoming its seasonal visitors.
It is still early for large-scale winter migration, officials said, but some early visitors have arrived near the major water bodies in the district, including Okhla, Surajpur and Dhanauri wetlands.
Over 1,000 early
migratory
birds have arrived at the
Okhla
Bird Sanctuary, according to officials.
Bird-watchers can now spot painted storks, different varieties of gulls, cormorants, greater flamingoes and northern shovellers, among the aquatic species. Terrestrial birds such as Eurasian hobbies can also be seen, along with the domestic species.
“Okhla Bird Sanctuary, Surajpur, Dhanauri and NTPC areas are getting early migrants. We are hoping that in the next 15-20 days, the water bodies will be full of several bird species,” said PK Srivastava, divisional forest officer, Gautam Budh Nagar.
The Okhla Bird Sanctuary is open to the public from 7.30am to 5pm, every day. Every year, the sanctuary sees about 200 species of birds in large flocks. At least, 15,000-20,000 birds visit the area, annually.
“The migration has just started, but we are expecting higher numbers, this year. Once the birds start coming in large flocks, the entire water body will be covered by birds,” said Arvind Mishra, range officer, Okhla Bird Sanctuary.
He added that this year, people could avail park facilities such as golf cart tours, a canteen, and a new bamboo bridge to reach the watchtower. The nature camp, another addition, will be ready in the next 15 days. The forest department had also proposed cottages for night stays.
However, the plan was shelved after birders argued that tourists at night would adversely impact bird migration.
The park was thrown open to the public from the beginning of October, following the post-monsoon clean-up and habitat development.
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