Jalaplavit (ISSSN 2321-1881), Vol.11, No.1, Feb.-Mar. 2021 Fig. 1. Map of study area 51
Jalaplavit (ISSSN 2321-1881), Vol.11, No.1, Feb.-Mar. 2021 Anika Tere Photo 1: Jawla Pond with Sarus family observed in April 2021 (a record shot) Anika Tere Photo 2: Sarus family at Jawla observed in April 2021(a record shot) 52
Jalaplavit (ISSSN 2321-1881), Vol.11, No.1, Feb.-Mar. 2021 Rushali Narvekar Photo 3: Pair of Sarus with two chicks observed in May 2021 Photo 4: An adult Sarus in flight Ravi Kelkar 53
Jalaplavit (ISSSN 2321-1881), Vol.11, No.1, Feb.-Mar. 2021 About the Authors Dr. Anika Tere is an Ornithologist and Conservationist. She owns her M. Sc. degree in Zoology, with specialization in Avian Biology and Ornithology. She pursued her Ph. D. on the Ecology of Flamingos in Gujarat State, which was the first Ph. D. in on flamingos in India. She is a teacher and actively involved in research and conservation. Her main subjects of interest are Ornithology, Wetland Ecology and Biodiversity. Rushali Narwekar Jadhav is currently working in the marketing department, System Level Solutions (India) Pvt. Ltd. She is a wildlife enthusiast to learn about the value of biodiversity in India. It all started with her interest in photography, birds and wildlife being her subject, since 2016. Her interest lies in observing birds and their behavior with the changing climate. Ravi Kelkar is an Executive Engineer at IPCL, Vadodara. A passionate birder and photographer for the past 3-4years. He has been a lifer for many birds in Vadodara outskirts and has been a frequent visitor of the wetlands of Vadodara. His interest lies in finding the unique birds which migrate to Vadodara in different seasons. 54
Jalaplavit (ISSSN 2321-1881), Vol.11, No.1, Feb.-Mar. 2021 Student Niche Observations on Purple Swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio) - A Likely Dominance- Fight Behaviour Keyur Bhatti1 & Divya Pillai 1Email: [email protected] Keyur Bhatti An astonishing view of Wadhwana wetland Wadhwana wetland, which is in colour with a greyish head, distinctive red bill and culmen (Grimmette et al., situated at a distance of 50 km from 2011). This seasonal breeder shows monogamy in the western parts, whereas Vadodara, is an irrigation reservoir. It in the eastern parts, co-operative breeding groups have been recorded. Such is a home to several migratory bird groups have multiple females and males which share a nest. Sometimes, a nesting species and a breeding and a roosting pair is assisted by helpers (i.e. progenies from the previous clutch). site for several resident species. One such resident species of Wadhwana is Purple Swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio). It is also known as Grey- headed Swamphen. It is purplish blue 55
Jalaplavit (ISSSN 2321-1881), Vol.11, No.1, Feb.-Mar. 2021 Its breeding season begins from 2. After a few second, the male on the January to the first week of March. Peak left took charge by lifting one of his legs breeding activity takes place from the (Image 2) and made his first move to second week of January (Doss et al., attack the opposite male (Image 3). 2009). Keyur Bhatti During the recent winter, on 9th January 2021, while observing foraging Image 3: Attacking each other activity of swamphens at Wadhwana 3. Each of them was deeply engaged in a wetland, a peculiar behaviour was combat to show dominance over the observed in two males which were in opponent. During this combat, each of water. The sequence of their interactive them positioned his one foot on the behavior is described below: opponent’s neck and started striking the Interaction sequence frontal shield aggressively with another foot (Image 4). Keyur Bhatti Keyur Bhatti Image 1: Two males facing each other 1.Two males came close, faced each Image 4: Dominance other upright and stared each other slyly 4.The dominant male pushed the for a few seconds (Image 1). opponent below water surface and at the same time assaulted the opponent’s head Keyur Bhatti repeatedly to keep it underwater. The other individual tried to release itself and Image 2: The beginning of the fight 56
Jalaplavit (ISSSN 2321-1881), Vol.11, No.1, Feb.-Mar. 2021 counter-attacked the moment he was References able to set himself free. Doss, D.P.S., N. Gopukumar, and K. Keyur Bhatti Sripathi (2009). Breeding Biology of the Purple Swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio) at Image 5: Chasing away Tirunelveli, South India, The Wilson 5. After throwing a violent fight, the Journal of Ornithology 121(4), 796- enraged dominant male marked his 800. https://doi.org/10.1676/08-101.1 presence significant, while the other male backed off and left (Image 5). Grimmett, R. C. Inskipp, T. Inskipp. (2011). Birds of Indian subcontinent digital edition, Christopher Helm London. Web-site referred to: Here the link of our observation video on the dominance fight of Purple Swamphen: https://youtu.be/qonmSUVb2_Y http://www.india- birds.com/greyheadedswamphen. A Purple Swamphen flying over the Cattails (Typha domingensis) 57
Jalaplavit (ISSSN 2321-1881), Vol.11, No.1, Feb.-Mar. 2021 About the Authors Keyur Bhatti is pursuing B.Sc (Hons) in zoology from The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda. With keen interest in Avian Biology and Wildlife Photography. Divya Pillai is pursuing B.Sc (Hons) in zoology from The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda. With keen interest in Entomology and Wildlife Biology. 58
Student Niche Jalaplavit (ISSSN 2321-1881), Vol.11, No.1, Feb.-Mar.2021 et Gatehara: An Industrial Wetland Mayuri Jani Email: [email protected] Gatehara wetland Though Gujarat has many Palasana Road. Another indicator of this wet bird area is the unpleasant wetlands well-known for their bird- smell produced due to the industrial richness, there are many lesser-known waste waters from the Kalol GIDC. This wetlands too. Gatehara wetland is one bird area is a wetland formed as a such area. This relatively less explored result of accumulation of waste water wetland is situated at a distance of 21 which provides habitat to the birds km from Gandhinagar and 5 km from residing in this area. If this habitat is Kalol (an industrial city in Gandhinagar lost, then wildlife and biodiversity of district). It can be approached by this area will also be destroyed. locating an old sign-board placed along 59
Jalaplavit (ISSSN 2321-1881), Vol.11, No.1, Feb.-Mar.2021 The wetland receives water few villagers can be seen enjoying the from various industrial units such as sight of birds in open fields and the wet chemical, paint, textile, pesticides region. Somehow, it is difficult for the etc. The waste water gets drained into birders to reach there in cultivating the wetland area through a proper season. channel originating from the industrial area that first passes through/near an agricultural area. The wetland is surrounded by farmlands on its three sides and a small narrow road on the fourth side. Some farmers use its waste water for irrigating crops. The crops which are cultivated here include vegetables, wheat, castor and mustard depending on a season. There is no entry fee for this Observation zone of Gatehara field wetland and no guide to help you in (Source: Google Earth) identifying the birds occurring at this wetland. It is just an open and unexplored wetland with large number of birds. I have visited this site several times in different seasons, and never seen any visitor or birder. Of course, a About the Author Mayuri Jani has earned M. Sc. in Environmental Sciences from the Central University of Gujarat. She has a keen interest in bird watching and exploring and understanding different aspects of wildlife. Ecology and conservation biology have been the most interesting subjects for her. 60
Jalaplavit (ISSSN 2321-1881), Vol.11, No.1, Feb.-Mar.2021 Waste water reaching the field through a channel Various birds visit the area in of these natural conditions such as of different seasons from various places. shallow pools and availability of One of the noticeable birds that visit insects and algae in the industrial this place is the flamingo. waste water in the Gatehara field, makes it an ideal place for flamingo to Flamingos are considered to be live. filter feeders which lives on algae and seeds of marshy plants, along with that Along with flamingos following they also prefer to live on small are other wetland birds which were animals such as shrimps, molluscs and recorded by me at the wetland. insect larvae. It is due to the presence 61
Jalaplavit (ISSSN 2321-1881), Vol.11, No.1, Feb.-Mar.2021 Table 1: Wetland birds observed at Gatehara wetland (July 2020 and January 2021)) Common name Scientific name July January 2020 2021 Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus √ Lesser Flamingo Phoeniconaias minor √ × Lesser Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna javanica √ × Indian Spot-billed Duck Anas poecilorhyncha √ × White-breasted Waterhen Amaurornis phoenicurus √ × Red-wattled Lapwing Vanellus indicus √ √ Grey-headed Swamphen Porphyrio poliocephalus √ √ Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus √ √ Pheasant-tailed Jacana Hydrophasianus chirurgus √ √ Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos √ × Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis √ √ Little Egret Egretta garzetta √ √ Great Egret Ardea alba √ √ Indian Pond-Heron Ardeola grayii √ √ Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis √ √ Eurasian Coot Fulica atra √ √ Black-headed Ibis Threskiornis melanocephalus √ × Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus √ × Painted Stork Mycteria leucocephala √ × Red-naped Ibis Pseudibis papillosa √ × White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis √ √ Sarus Crane Grus Antigone √ √ Purple Heron Ardea purpurea √ × Notes: √-Presence, ×- Absent × Besides all these wetland- t is important to save these dependent species, I have also types of unexplored wetlands and their recorded 39 terrestrial bird species at bird diversity. They provide a great this wetland. They include some opportunity to the birds to exist safely. interesting species like Indian Peafowl They need to be conserved so that it (a Schedule 1 species), Yellow-footed would contribute to overall wetland Green Pigeon (an obligatorily arboreal bird diversity of the State. species), doves, fantail flycatchers, robins, weavers, babblers, prinias, starlings, sunbird, francolins, tree-pie, coppersmith, flamebacks etc. 62
Jalaplavit(ISSSN 2321-1881), Vol.11, No.1, Feb.-Mar. 2021 Red-breasted Goose in Thol Wildlife Sanctuary, Gujarat Naushad N. Theba1 & Irshad N. Theba 1Email: [email protected] A Red-breasted Goose in company of a Bar-headed Goose at Thol Wetland Thol wetland is a man-made agricultural fields (mainly, wheat and paddy) all around and some marshy irrigation reservoir near Thol Village in areas. Around 300 species of aquatic and Kadi taluka of Mehsana District, terrestrial (resident and migratory) bird Gujarat. This fresh water wetland was species have been recorded (Anon. constructed as an irrigation tank in 1912 2019). by the erstwhile ruler (Gaekwad dynasty) of Baroda state of pre- Red-breasted Goose (Branta independence era. Later, it was ruficollis) is red, black and white small declared as a ‘Wildlife Sanctuary’ in goose thar is known to be vagrant for 1988. Casually, it is also called Thol Bird India. It has chestnut-red fore-neck, Sanctuary. breast and sides of head (bordered with white), white flank-stripe and black This freshwater reservoir is belly. White rear belly and a black tail predominantly surrounded by numerous 63
Jalaplavit(ISSSN 2321-1881), Vol.11, No.1, Feb.-Mar. 2021 are also prominent. It is one of the least are the members of Nalsarovar bird studied species in the world. Currently, guide group. The goose was seen its global threat status is foraging in the group of Grey-lagged ‘Vulnerable’(VU) as per the IUCN Red Goose (Anser anser) and Bar-headed List of Threatened Species. This species Goose (Anser indicus). During morning breeds in the Arctic tundra and also in hours, it used to visit surrounding Thol wetland and occurrence locations of Red-breasted Goose in it. peninsulas of Russia (Hunter 2005). Its agriculture fields for foraging along with distribution covers Europe, Eurasia, the other geese and it used to fly back Russia and some part of Central Asia. It to its roosting site during noon time. is a passage migrant to Kazakhstan. It occurred at Nal Sarovar for On January 05, 2021 one vagrant many days. In the third week of bird was seen first on the outskirts of Nal February, 2021, a Red-breasted Goose Sarovar Sanctuary by Mr. Akbar Alvani, (probably the same individual that was Mahmud Multani and Sabbir Belim who recorded at the Nal) was seen at Thol 64
Jalaplavit(ISSSN 2321-1881), Vol.11, No.1, Feb.-Mar. 2021 wetland (Sanctuary), Mehsana. The References distance between Nal Sarovar and Thol wetlands is 67.5 km. At Thol, it was Ali, S. & S. D. Ripley (1968). Handbook usually found foraging with Bar-headed of the birds of India and Pakistan Geese. It usually stayed with 4-5 geese, together with those of Nepal, Sikkim, and would follow them either at the Bhutan and Ceylon. Divers to hawks. 1st wetland or in air. Sometimes, it was ed. Bombay: (Sponsored by the Bombay observed flying with a flock of 30-40 Natural History Society) Oxford geese, but later it would get separated University Press. Vol. 1 of 10 vols. Pp. 2 from the large group and would continue ll., i–lviii, 1–380, 1 l. to stay in the small group of 4-5 individuals. It foraged on grasses grass- Anon (2019). Birds of Thol - A Field seeds. In February-end, eight Greater Guide of Birds. Sanand Wildlife Division, White-fronted Geese (Anser albifrons) Department of Forest, Government of were sighted at Thol Sanctuary. Gujarat, 203pp. Association of Red-breasted Goose with Greater White-fronted Goose is well- Hunter, J. (2005). Red-breasted Goose. known and they often emigrate together In: Kear, J (editor), Ducks, geese and in spring (Kear 2005). The goose was at swans, volume 1: general chapters; Thol till late March (2021). species accounts (Anhima to Salvadorina), Oxford, p 335-338. Sightings in the Past in Northern India Kear, J. (ed.) (2005). Ducks, geese and Earlier, it has never been swans. 1st ed. Bird families of the world recorded in Gujarat. However, (Series). Perrins, C. M., Bock, W. J., & relatively in the recent past, one Red- Kikkawa, J., (eds.). Oxford: Oxford breastedGoose was sighted near Ganga University Press. Vol.1 of 2 vols. Pp. i– barrage in Bijnour district of Uttar xxi, 1–446. Pradesh on March 13, 2014 (Panwar and Panwar, 2014.). It was also sighted in Panwar, R. & S. Panwar (2014). Sighting the flock of Bar-headed Goose. of Red-breasted Goose Branta ruficollis 65
Jalaplavit(ISSSN 2321-1881), Vol.11, No.1, Feb.-Mar. 2021 at Ganga Barrage, Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh. -fronted Goose and Greater White- Indian Birds 9: 99–100. fronted Goose from Thol Bird Sanctuary, Gujarat, India. Bird-o-soar #41, In: Zoo’s Theba, I. N. & A. K. Patel (2020). Print 35: 28–30. Sighting of the threatened Lesser White About the Authors Naushad N. Theba has completed M.Sc. in Environmental Science from the Central University of Gujarat, Gandhinagar. He is and avid birdwatcher and has been engaged in bird conservation and rescuing in Gandhinagar since over a decade. He also functions as a nature educator in nature education camps. Irshad N. Theba has been working as a Nature Educator, Technical Assistant and Bird Breeder at Indroda Nature Park managed and run by GEER Foundation, Gandhinagar and has been contributing to bird conservation and rescue since last 15 years. 66
A Glimpse of Our Wetland Heritage-Gujarat Chimnabai Lake in Kheralu Taluka, Mehsana District created During Gaekwad Dynasty Tufted Ducks and a Common Coot at Chimnabai Lake, Kheralu Taluka, Mehsana District
Wetland Dr. Ketan Tatu is the Founding Editor of Jalaplavit (ISSN 2321-1881). He initiated this not-for-profit movement in September 2009 for providing a platform to wetland enthusiasts(including photographers), students, researchers and professionals wanting to share their thoughts, opinions, studies, research and pictures pertaining to wetlands. He also intends to increase appreciation for wetlands in the society through this initiative. Dr. Tatu has earned two doctoral degrees (one from the US), for which he had conducted research on wetland biodiversity. He has been serving as a Sr. Scientist in India. He is nominated as an ex-officio Member of a State Wetland Authority. enthusiasts, post-graduate students having interest in wetland biodiversity, researchers and wetland biodiversity professionals are welcome to contribute their articles, research papers and observation notes regarding any aspects of wetland biodiversity. Each contribution must be accompanied with good relevant photographs. Nature photographers are welcome to contribute wetland picture galleries. Jalaplavit (ISSN 2321-1881) publishes articles/research papers/notes pertaining to wetlands in any part of the world though its thrust region in the Indian Subcontinent. The next issue will be the June-July 2021 issue.
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