COIMBATORE: The dunlin (Calidris alpina), a migratory shorebird that breeds in the Arctic and western Europe, was spotted for the first time at Kurichi Lake on Wednesday evening.
Independent birdwatcher R Karthikeyan of Kuniyamuthur observed the bird while it was feeding on insects in the waterbody.
According to him, the bird is listed as 'Near Threatened' by the IUCN, and there have been only 27 recorded sightings of the species, as per the eBird portal.
"The bird was mostly recorded in the coastal areas of Tamil Nadu. I am happy I witnessed it for the first time at Kurichi Lake along with my children and uploaded the sightings on the eBird platform," said Karthikeyan, who has been birding since 2018.
"The dunlin is highly gregarious in winter, sometimes forming large flocks on coastal mudflats or sandy beaches. Large numbers can often be seen swirling in synchronised flight during stopovers on migration or in their winter habitat," said Karthikeyan.
The great thick-knee (Esacus recurvirostris) and fulvous whistling duck (Dendrocygna bicolor) have also been spotted at Kurichi Lake.