Mavoor wetland bird survey

I went for the annual Mavoor wetland bird survey organized by the Malabar Natural History Society (http://malabarnhs.org/) at the village of Mavoor (around 20kms from the city of Kozhikode, Kerala) earlier today.

There were around 20 participants (mostly students) and in total around 35 species were spotted in a matter of a couple of hours starting at 4:30PM.

The organizers - Hamidali Vazhakkad (MNHS) and Jafer Palot (ZSI/MNHS). 

Here's a bunch of bird pics taken during this survey...

Loten's Sunbird (Cinnyris lotenius)

Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybridus) and a Chestnut-headed Bee-eater (Merops leschenaulti)

Purple Swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio) and a Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea)

Purple Swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio) [In the background a Bronze-winged Jacana (Metopidius indicus) and a Pheasant-tailed Jacana (Hydrophasianus chirurgus)]

Bronze-winged Jacana (Metopidius indicus) being chased by a Purple Swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio)

Bronze-winged Jacana (Metopidius indicus)

Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybridus)

Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea) with a big catch

Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea)

Whiskered Terns (Chlidonias hybridus)

Whiskered Terns (Chlidonias hybridus)

Garganey (Anas querquedula)

Lots of Purple Swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio)

A unusual duck (probably a Leucistic Mallard!!!)and a Purple Swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio) in the background

Little Cormorants (Phalacrocorax niger) and a few Oriental Darters (Anhinga melanogaster )

Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea) on a nest

A tree full of Yellow-footed Green Pigeons (Treron phoenicoptera)

Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybridus)

Cotton Pygmy Goose (Nettapus coromandelianus)

Pied Kingfisher (Ceryle rudis)

Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)

Asian Openbill Stork (Anastomus oscitans)

Asian Openbill Stork (Anastomus oscitans)

Purple Swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio)

Sadly this area which gives refuge to a large no. of wetland birds every winter is constantly under threat of landfills and other development activities! Hopefully groups like MNHS will be successful in garnering enough local support to get this area declared as a community reserve offering protection to 1000s of birds that come from distant lands.