Ashy Prinia, Sandpiper, Citrine Wagtail, Painted Stork, Spot-billed Ducks and Black-winged Stilts Spotted at the Basai Wetland

It is incredible to see so many bird species at the Basai Wetland in Gurgaon. The wetland is a haven to a large number of migrant and residential birds. Spread over a wide area, (now broken up into patches) the Basai Wetland is also a vital rainwater catchment area in Gurugram. It is an ancient geographical feature of the town that is of great ecological value. Though ignored by the authorities of the state, the Basai wetland continues to be flooded for long periods of time after the monsoon season, often defying the efforts of builders and developers to drain out the water that keeps finding its way into the area.

Bounded by the Dwarka Expressway on one side, and an important railway line on the other, the Basai wetland is slowly but steadily getting surrounded by residential buildings and complexes. In times when real-estate demands have increased by leaps and bounds, it is inevitable that the last remaining Biodiversity hotspots will soon disappear. The Aravali mountains ranges, wetlands, and green areas in this swiftly growing town are steadily getting taken over by highrise buildings to cater to the ever-growing population of workers, professionals and residents.

It is in this context that I decided to pick up one of the Biodiversity hotspots of the town in order to catalogue and record some of the bird species that are sustained by it. Over the years I have noticed the disappearance of some of the native species of birds that used to reside in the area. One of the bird species that has been marked by its absence is the Sarus Crane. The Sarus Crane could be found in the area adjacent to the water treatment plant next to the Construction Waste Recycling plant. Unfortunately, walls have been created on this area and people have started filling in the area with mud, in anticipation of times when the area will become a prime location for the construction of residential flats.

While some of the hardier species of birds such as the Black-winged Stilts, Painted Storks, Purple Swamphen and White-breasted Kingfisher continue to survive on the wetland, some of the more widely travelled species like the Bar-headed Geese, as also the Sarus Cranes have been missing from the wetland, most probably because of the disturbance caused by human activity in the area. Till it is completely swallowed by development projects, the wetland, or whatever remains of it will continue to be home to ducks during the winter season and also the Citrine Wagtail.