Less rains in monsoon 2015 draws more birds in Nalsarovar

Less rain in monsoon-2015 may be the bad news for farmers, but for the bird watcher it is good news. The low water level in Nalsarovar Lake near Sanand is attracting birds in Nalsarovar, species like cranes, garganey, coots and Indian skimmer.

It is the best time to visit Nalsarovar Lake near Ahmedabad if you want to spend your day watching flamingos. One can see thousands of lesser flamingos and 100s of greater flamingos at Nalsarovar wetland this May.

Nalsarovar is a Bird Sanctuary, spread in the area of 120.82-sq-km Lake. A serene marshland with shallow waters (4-5 ft). Nalsarovar-Ahmedabad distance is about 60 km located near Sanand Village, in Gujarat. The only Ramsar Lake in the state is dry at its outermost banks. However, has some 1.5 to 2 feet of water in the middle, making it favorable for migratory birds in Nalsarovar. Nesting of local birds have started in the lake area has also been reported. Reports claim that the number of birds in Nalsarovar this year is much better than in the last.

Because of less rain last monsoon and no inflows of excess Narmada irrigation water into the lake. The state government had stopped the supply of irrigation water from February.

Reason for high water level:

The farmers during the monsoon do not use the Narmada irrigation water from the Viramgam canal and the canal water overflow into the lake. The water level is now favorable for waterfowl birds like flamingos, i.e. 2 to 3 feet. This is the first time in many years that one has to walk almost a kilometer into the dry lake to see birds in Nalsarovar.

The bird census of January, showed a record low greater and lesser flamingos count of just 3,851 numbers in Nalsarovar Ramsar site, which was around 11,000 in early 2010.