Northern Pintail – Photograph by Sohini Ghosh
In 2017 from January to March the following birds were observed in Saheb Bandh, Purulia:-
[Observation dates were 12/01/2017, 23/01/2017, 10/02/2017, 11/02/2017 and 19/03/2017]
- Northern Pintail: 30 (+/- 5)
- Red-Crested Pochard: 15 (+5)
- Northern Shoveler: 6 (+3)
- Gadwall: 30 (+/- 5)
- Lesser Whistling Duck: 500 (+/- 100)
- Cotton Pygmy Goose: 10 (+/- 5)
- Grey-headed Swamp hen: 10 (+5)
- Little Grebe: 5
- Great Cormorant: 10 (+/- 5)
- Little Cormorant: 30 (+/- 10)
- Black-crowned Night-Heron: 25 (+/-5)
- Eurasian Coot: 3
- Common Moorhen: 5
The above mentioned birds used to be seen every year previous to 2017 too. However in 2018 Shikara Boating was started in Saheb Bandh by the local authorities and all the above birds disappeared from the water body except the Black-crowned Night-Heron, Little Grebe, Common Moorhen and Little Cormorant. But their count got much reduced. In 2019 and 2020 to the scenario remained the same, i.e., no migratory birds in Saheb Bandh. Again this year, some of the birds were observed during the Bird Census held from 12 th January to 2 nd February (check list is available in e-Birds: https://ebird.org/india/checklist/S79889634 ). But Northern Pintail, Northern Shoveler, Cotton Pygmy Goose and Grey-headed Swamphen were not seen this year and the count of the other birds is much less than that of 2017.Sohini Ghosh – February 2021