The first day of the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) in Mysuru, which kicked off on Friday, has reinforced the rich biodiversity of Kukkarahalli Lake and the imperatives of its conservation.
For, as many as 62 species of birds were found in the lake precincts which is located in the heart of the city and has emerged as a favourite spot for morning walkers in Mysuru.
A major lung space, environmentalists are constantly battling the authorities keen on promoting ‘development’ to the detriment of the lake and its ecosystem.
The GBCC is a global event entailing backyard bird count and is being held for four days across the world from February 18 to 21 and the data uploaded will be harnessed for conservation.
It is being coordinated in India by e-bird India and Birdcount-India. Naturalists in Mysuru have organised the bird watching sessions from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. at various locations.
Of the 62 species of birds identified on the first day, there were Bronze-winged Jacana (resident) in good numbers while the highlight was the presence of Indian pitta which is a migratory bird. There were 20 Eurasian moorhen and about 150 Painted stork. Wood sandpiper – which is a migratory bird – was also identified apart from Gray hern and Black-crowned Night-Heron among others, according to Tanuja, an eco-educationist who is coordinating the event in Mysuru with Shylajesh, an avid bird watcher who takes interest in documenting the flora and fauna off Mysuru.
While the first day session was held at Kukkarahalli Lake on Friday, it will be conducted at Hebbala Lake on Saturday. The birds at Karanji Lake and Muganahundi Lake will be accounted for on Sunday while the exercise will cover Lingambudhi lake and Thippaiayana Kere on Monday, according to Ms. Tanuja,. She said the event is open to the public and is free and for details they can call 9480566516.
Apart from taking stock of the birds and enumerating their species the exercise has also given insight into the state of the ecosystem. Ms.Tanuja said that the water level at Kukkarahalli Lake was high which was unusual for February. ‘’It should be ideally receding and the inflow is not fresh water and hence the leak should be plugged’’, she said.
Apart from Mysuru, the GBBC is also being held in different parts of the State but bird-watching and maintaining a database of the winged beauties is in vogue in Mysuru since decades. This has also resulted in the creation of a scientific database and the ongoing GBBC will help add to it.
The exercise also helps provide a ‘’snap shot’’ of the bird population and throws light on the ecosystem supporting it and whether the population is dwindling or the bird distribution pattern is changing due to human intervention and its impact on habitat.
