As regular CFZ-watchers will know, for some time Corinna has been doing a column for Animals & Men and a regular segment on On The Track... particularly about out-of-place birds and rare vagrants. There seem to be more and more bird stories from all over the world hitting the news these days so, to make room for them all - and to give them all equal and worthy coverage - she has set up this new blog to cover all things feathery and Fortean.

Friday 17 February 2017

Guest from Mongolia flies to Gangapur after 20 years


Sumita Sarkar | TNN | Updated: Feb 8, 2017, 12.47 PM IST
 
NASHIK: Osprey, a fish-eating bird of prey, was sighted in Gangapur dam recently after nearly 20 years. 

The bird is known to come all the way from Mongolia and at times flies to South Africa. Osprey is also known as fish eagle and is a 60cm in length and 180cm in width (across the wings). 

Members of Nature Conservation Society of Nashik (NCSN) spotted the bird during one of their excursions a few days ago. 

"The bird comes from North Europe. It travels from Mongolia and goes as far as South Africa. We had spotted it last around 20 years ago. It is a beautiful bird weighing between 1.4kg and 2.5kg. We saw the male Osprey, which is slender and has a faint collar in the neck. The female bird has a dark band around the neck," honorary wildlife warden Bishwaroop Raha said. 

He said the bird must have migrated here as the water of Gangapur is deeper than that of Nandur Madhyameshwar, where it is shallow, and it dives deep in search of fish. "It dives from 50feet height for fish. It is not a rare bird, but its sighting is very rare in Gangapur dam. All over the world, there are around 2.50 lakh Ospreys," Raha added.

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