Birds spotted in Upputeru tidal basin near Nakkapalli in Anakapalli district of Andhra Pradesh

The water body offers ample food to the birds and is unpolluted, say locals

Visakhapatnam

Upputeru (tidal basin or catchment area) along the Bay of Bengal in Rajayyapeta coastal village of Nakkapalli mandal in Anakapalli district is now buzzing with birds for the past few days.

Visakhapatnam-based birdwatcher Vivek Rathod said that he has observed birds like great egret, painted stork, black-winged stilt and cattle egret in the tidal basin. The painted stork is classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature under the ‘Near-Threatened’ category. This means that the species is likely to be endangered in the near future, but it does not currently qualify for threatened status.

These storks usually have their head and neck bent at or below the belly level, Mr. Rathod said, and added that the birds are often found near water bodies.

Rajayyapeta local P. Rambabu said that the village is 4 km away from the Nakkapalli mandal headquarters and near a pharmaceutical company. Seawater comes into the basin whenever there is a tidal wave, he said, adding that local fishermen cultivate fish in the basin.

“Birds might have come here attracted by the fish in the basin. The water is also not as salty as seawater. This area is also not polluted or disturbed. People have been coming here to watch the birds and capture them on their cameras for the past few days,” Mr. Rambabu said.

Birds are being seen in the morning and afternoon hours when the weather at the tidal basin is mild and hot, said another villager K. Sriramula Naidu, a farmer. Hundreds of birds were spotted in this area for the past few days, he added.