Harriers at Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi districts in Nov 2019

Harriers at Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi 
districts in Nov 2019
                                                                  Ganesh T

Photo: Thalavai Pandi S

November has been a month of rains with the highest of 113 mm in a day recorded on the last day of the month. It's also the month when most of the migrants arrive in numbers into the southern districts. Waterfowls like the bar-headed goose have come already and flocks of 10-20 birds are seen flying about at different locations in the districts. Other waterfowls are generally missing except the ubiquitous black-headed and glossy ibis.

Harrier in flight
Photo: Thalavai Pandi S

Harriers have also come and their numbers have increased compared to last month. The railway track roost had about 32 birds on the 27th evening while MG farm had about 12 on the same day. A day later at Radhapuram there were again some 30 odd harriers. We surveyed several roosts, Mg farm, railway track, Taruvai, Kottai south, Kannakulam, Hitech roost, and Radhapuram but only in 4 places; MG farm, railway track, Radhapuram and Taruvai had birds. We also traveled across several roosts in Radhapuram area but did not see any harriers except for coupe of Pallid flying at two different places and one roosting alone in a layout site. Up north on 1 Dec at Vagaikulam saw about 25 birds. Put together there could be about 100-120 birds in the area. Species wise Montagu’s male continues to dominate with a sprinkle of Pallids and several marsh in MG farm and Vagaikulam. The habitat for the harriers are all there and most of the roost sites are free of disturbance due to lack of grazing as there is enough forage for sheep and cattle elsewhere. People are also not venturing inside the grass area for fear of snakes. The grasslands are not offering many grasshoppers as their density was very low but should pick up later in the season. Smaller birds like larks and pipits are also patchy and the largest flock was seen at Taruvai of about 150 birds mostly Greater short-toed larks. There was however lots of reptiles see even during our counts, the common one being the garden lizard which was also encountered as road kills in the area. Sitana was found to be gravid and smaller ones are commonly seen. There is, therefore, enough of reptilian prey for the monties and Pallids.