Winged guests arrive at Mote Majra for winter stay
Gaurav Kanthwal
Tribune News Service
Mohali, December 21
Bar-headed geese, gadwell, common coot, grey heron, crested grebe and red pochard have arrived at the Mote Majra pond for this year’s winter sojourn.
More of the flock is set to arrive here in the coming days. Northern shoveler, greater white-fronted goose, Eurasian wigeon, greylag goose, pintail ducks and cormorants are also expected here shortly.
Birdwatchers say crested grebe and red-crested pochard have been witnessed at the pond after two years.
The Mote Majra wetland, also popular for the bumper yield of water chestnuts, is still riddled with the crop residue. It will decay and settle on the bed of the water body in the coming days, creating ideal conditions for the migratory birds. The slightly obscure site is popular among avid bird watchers.
“From the bird watcher’s point of view it is the best site as it is accessible from all sides and lets the watcher see the bird from close quarters. Since the nearly 32-acre water body has shallow water, it is ideal for migratory birds. They do not have to forage deep into the water for their food,” said Kulbhushan Kanwar, an old timer here.
Sukhna Lake and the site near the Chhat village are the other popular bird-watching sites in the region.
Birdwatchers say the ideal time to sight birds is early in the morning but the migratory birds in particular have all the time in the world.
“They are there all day long, basking in the sun. One can go anytime and enjoy nature without creating disturbance or commotion,” says Gian Singh, a Mote Majra resident. He jokingly says bird watching comes naturally to every child born in the village.
Birdwatchers say residents of the village are “very good hosts” as they go out of their way to make the birds’ stay comfortable here. “Not many people know that it is a historic site. In old times, it was known as Kalyanpur Daab (named after saint Kalyan ji). Royals used to come here for hunting but now the villagers make sure nobody creates any disturbance here. Sometimes, birds spoil their crops but they are okay with it,” said Gian Singh.
Mote Majra village is situated on the Landran-Banur Road in Kharar tehsil, 21km from Mohali bus stand.
