BTM LAYOUT: Grunting and snapping their bills in unison, spot-billed pelicans have arrived in hordes, to nest and breed in Madiwala Lake.
Since October, following a month of de-weeding and release of fishlings, the lake is teeming with pelicans coming in from acrossAsia and elsewhere.
People have been thronging the water body,located near an IT corridor and in the heart of BTM Layout, to gaze at the unlikely sight of winged visitors thriving in the midst of human habitation.
Verdant island
Situated on a huge expanse of 114.3 hectare, with a big island in its midst, Madiwala Lake is also bustling with birds of all colours and hues.
The winter months are ideal for nesting and breeding of migratory birds.
It is a pleasure to watch the sheer variety of birds flocking the island, covered in bamboo and trees like cherry, mahogany and subabul.
Water birds like egrets, herons, pelicans, cormorants, grebes, wagtails, and waterhens are now inhabiting the lake.
Breeding season
Spot-billed pelicans can be seen in groups of about a hundred at this time of year, flying over the waters in search of fish.
Veeranna, Range Forest Officer, K R Puram Range, Bangalore Urban Division, says, “Around 2,000 pelicans have been seen this year. The island has more than a thousand exotic pelicans. In the water body, one can see many more coming, going, hunting for food. As it is the breeding season, they are nesting and preparing for the arrival of their young ones.”
With the removal of hyacinth and other weeds, the birds have arrived in bountiful numbers, even as the volume of water hasincreased.
The Fisheries Department relesed one lakh fishlings in August. About 40-45 acres of weed were removed and later dried for conversion to manure, he said.
The adult birds can be seen foraging for food and feeding their young ones.
The water looks clean and devoid of waste in most parts. And it does not stink as other lakes in Bengaluru do.
50 other species
Santosh B S, an avid birdwatcher, has recorded and photograhed the birds.
“Pelicans were seen in hundreds in October. Apart from this, we have sighted 50 other bird species round the year. They will be around till February-March," he told City Express.
Birds that flock to Madiwala Lake include the Eurasian marsh harrier, painted stork, common sandpiper, wood sandpiper, river tern and brown shrike.
"Their arrival proves that if the lake is healthy, you can expect their numbers to increase next year,” he said.
With the Forest Department doing its bit to keep the lake clean, the water body may soon become a paradise for winged visitors in the heart of a chaotic city.
