Elucidating the Migratory Routes of Waterbirds Wintering Along the Maharashtra Coast Annual Report June 2017 – June 2018 Submitted to Mangrove and Marine Biodiversity Conservation Foundation of Maharashtra Principal Investigator Dr. P. Sathiyaselvam Project Advisor Dr. Deepak Apte Scientists Tuhina Katti, Ramesh Kumar Selvaraj, Madhumita Panigrahi Researcher Hrishikesh Rane Bombay Natural History Society Mumbai July 2018 Recommended citation: Sathiyaselvam, P., T. Katti, H. Rane, S. Ramesh Kumar, M. Panigrahi & D. Apte (2018): Elucidating the Migratory Routes of Waterbirds Wintering Along the Maharashtra Coast. Annual Report. Submitted to Mangrove and Marine Biodiversity Conservation Foundation of Maharashtra Bombay Natural History Society Mission: Conservation of Nature, primarily Biological Diversity through action based on Research, Education and Public Awareness. © Bombay Natural History Society 2018 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in a ny forms or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS). Edited by: Maithreyi M R Image Source: BNHS Wetlands Programme, Mandar Sawant Coverpage Image: Devvratsinh Mori Disclaimer: Google Earth, Natural Earth Data and Bing maps were used to plot the maps. The information on this map was derived from the observations carried out by the BNHS team on field. Actual size and structure might vary on the ground. BNHS does not take any responsibility for errors, omissions, or positional accur acy. However, notification of any errors will be appreciated. Bombay Natural History Society Hornbill House, S. B. Sing h Road Mumbai – 400001 Maharashtra, India. Tel.: (91 -22) 2282 1811 Fax.: (91 -22) 2283 7615 Email: info@bnhs. org SUMMARY During the study, preliminary surveys were conducted at selected sites along the Maharashtra coast to monitor the population of migrato ry waterbirds at each site. During the surveys, a total of 88 waterbird species were recorded. Of them, ten were globally threatened waterbird species. Selected sites around Mumbai were monitored from October 2017 to June 2018 to record the waterbirds and their numbers at each site. Roosting ducks and waders were recorded at Jasai and Panje during high tide. The creek surveys carried out in November 2017 and March 2018 were helpful in identifying feeding sites of waterbirds during low tide. During March 2018, a total of 14,508 Lesser Flamingo and 5,460 Greater Flamingo were recorded along with 23 other s pecies of waterbirds. Selected sites along Maharashtra coast, between Alibaug and Shiroda, were surveyed thrice, in July 2017, January 2018 and later in April 2018. During these surveys, feeding and roosting sites of waterbirds were identified. Totally 49 sites were identified as potential bird congregation sites. During January 2018 survey, only three sites supported over 1000 waterbirds. Of them, two were r oosting sites and one was a feeding site. During the April 2018 survey carried out to record late winter population, no site recorded more than 500 birds. Endangered Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris was sighted in two sites, one at Akshi beach and the other at Malgund beach. Four individuals of Vulnerable Indian Skimmer Rynchops albicollis were reported from Panje in October 2017 and three individuals of Vulnerable Asian Woollyneck Ciconia episcopus were sighted at Shiroda Saltpan in January 2018. Also eight other Near Threatened species were recorded during these surveys. Further surveys will be carried out to record the migratory waterbirds and the congregation sites along Maharashtra coast. A flamingo survey was held from May 10 to 11, 2018 at Thane creek covering the areas from Sewri to Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), during which 12,200 individuals of Greater Flamingo and 19,500 Lesser Flamingo were recorded. As permission to ring birds was still awaited, bird banding study was not carried out. However, the records of banded birds sighted in Mumbai and one record in Gujarat were compiled. Colour banding protocol for flamingos was established to follow a systematic colour marking not only for India but at the flyway -level too. Training Manual on Bird Monitoring, Handling and Marking , a bi-lingual manual was compiled to provide information on bird monitoring protocols, bird migration study techniques, bird handling and Central Asian Flyway to the trainees. The first training workshop was conducted be tween January 10–11, 2018 for frontline Forest Department staff, students and researchers from Mumbai and Thane districts to orient them in bird monitoring and study. The next two training workshops were organised for birdwatchers and students , one on April 08, 2018 covering Mumbai city district, Mumbai Suburb district and T hane district and the other on June 24, 2018 covering Palghar district respecitvely. The fourth training workshop was organised on April 17, 2018 for the Forest Department staff on bird migration, Central Asian Flyway Action Plan and implementation strateg ies. I II ACKNOWLEDGEMENT We are grateful to the Mangrove and Marine Biodiversity Conservation Foundation for providing funds to conduct this study. We are grateful to Mr. N. Vasudeva n IFS, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Mangrove Cell and Executive Director, Ma ngrove and Marine Biodiversity Conservation Foundation, for his guidance and support. We thank Mr. Jayaramegowda R. IFS, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Mangr ove Cell, Mumbai, Mr. Milind Panditrao, DFO, Mangrove Cell, Mumbai and Mr. Mayur Bothe, RFO, Mangrove Cell, Mumbai for their constant support and encouragement. We would like to acknowledge Mr. Siddhesh Surve, Assistant Director -Capacity Building, Mangrove Foundation, staff of Mangrove Cell and Coastal and Marine Biodiversity Interpretation Centre, Air oli and Chief Conservator of Forest office, Thane for their support during bird monitoring and training programme. We would like to thank Dr. Arun Joshi for helping us translate Bird Monitoring, Handling and Marking Training Manual into Marathi. We apprec iate the efforts of Mrs. Sailee Joshi-Gupte, former Information Officer, ENVIS, Ms. Neha Mujumdar, JRF, Mr. Omkar Joshi, Education Officer, CEC -BNHS for their assistance with the translation of the Bird Monitoring, Handling and Marking Training Manual. We would also like to thank Mr. Sachin Main, Chairman of Nature, Environment Society of Thane, and his team for assisting BNHS team to conduct Bird Migration wor kshop in Palghar district. We are grateful to Viva college for allowing us to organise our workshop in their auditorium. At BNHS, we are grateful to Dr. Balachandran S. , Deputy Director, Mr. Shantanu Goel, Assistant Director, Dr. Raju Kasambe, Assistant Di rector and Mr. Nandkishor Dudhe, Programme Officer, CEC-BNHS for providing their expertise during the training programme. We would like to thank BNHS researchers Mr. Mrugank Prabhu, Mr. Ameya Karulkar, Ms. Shalini Jain, Ms. Tanushree Mundra, Ms. Vinay Yad av, Naturalist Explorer Mr. Mandar Sawant, Intern Ms. Divya Kalsi, drivers Mr. Balaji Survase, Mr . Pritam Kadam, Mr. Vikas Pisal, Mr. Ashok Pisal driver, Mr. Sundar Pattern, Peon and volunteer Mr. Niketan Thakur for their help during field surveys and trai ning programmes. We extend our gratitude towards all the BNHS staff for their guidance and help during this project tenure. In case we have missed out acknowledging the contribution of any more people involved, it is purely unintentional. III Table of Contents SUMMARY ..................................................................................................... I ACKNOWLEDGEMENT .............................................................................. III INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................... 1 OBJECTIVES ................................................................................................. 3 METHODOLOGY .......................................................................................... 4 Study Area: ......................................................................................................... 4 Monthly survey areas: ........................................................................................ 4 Seasonal Surveys: ............................................................................................... 4 METHODS: ........................................................................................................ 5 Bird Monitoring: ................................................................................................ 5 Training and Awareness Programme: ................................................................. 6 WATERBIRD POPULATION ........................................................................ 7 Monthly monitoring ........................................................................................... 7 Other sites surveyed during the migratory bird season ................................... 15 Flamingo Survey ............................................................................................... 17 Areas surveyed along Maharashtra coast ......................................................... 18 STATUS OF GLOBALLY THREATENED SPECIES .................................... 20 Endangered ......................................................................................................