NAGAPATTINAM: The annual bird estimate in Point Calimere Wildlife and Birds Sanctuary in Kodiyakarai of the district began on Saturday. The two-day survey of water birds will end on Sunday. The terrestrial birds are to be surveyed on March 15 and March 16.
In Nagapattinam wildlife division, the survey is taken up in three ranges: Sirkazhi in Mayiladuthurai district, and Nagapattinam and Vedaranyam in Nagapattinam district. In the Vedaranyam range, the survey is conducted in Point Calimere sanctuary and surrounding areas.
A mock survey was conducted on Saturday evening, while the actual count of birds and bird species are recorded on Sunday morning. "Around 50 people, including forest department personnel, researchers and students are participating in the survey in Vedaranyam. We have divided them into 12 teams and sent them to places across the range to survey the birds," said A Joseph Daniel, Forest Range Officer of Vedaranyam.
Around 50 participants, including Zoology students, researchers and research scholars, from the Poompuhar College in Melaiyur are participating in the survey at Vedaranyam.
The forest department staff include the ranger, foresters, guards and watchers. The teams visit salt pan pump houses, channel mouths, wetland islands, bird congregation points, waterbodies and the seashore of coastal villages to count the birds belonging to different species.
The participants carry binoculars, notebooks and manuals for the survey. The officials stated survey numbers would be used to determine the average number of bird sightings for the particular year. The estimate is conducted in three places each in Sirkazhi and Nagapattinam ranges led by officers B Ayub Khan and G Athilingam.
Students from AVC College and Poompuhar College in Mayiladuthurai joined the forest department personnel. I Arivu, a biologist, said, "On the first day, we observed nocturnal birds, including migratory species such as night heron, and local species such as nightjars and spotted owls."
The district forest department is conducting the exercise as part of a statewide survey called 'Tamil Nadu Synchronised Bird Estimate' as per the directions of Wildlife Warden Abhishek Tomar and Chief Conservator of Forests A Periyasamy.