14 new species of migratory birds arrived so far in Pong Dam this year

A total of 22161 birds of 144 species of sighted till date Dharamshala, November 11, 2018: In 1975 an earth fill dam in India was created by the name of Pong dam over river Beas River in the wetland zone of the Siwalik Hills of the Kangra district of the state of Himachal Pradesh on the border of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab. This structure created a larger man made still water reservoir called Maharana Pratap Sagar. the reservoir or the lake is a well-known wildlife sanctuary and one of the 26 international wetland sites declared in India by the Ramsar Convention. The reservoir covers an area of 24,529 hectares (60,610 acres), and the wetlands portion is 15,662 hectares (38,700 acres). Lakhs of migratory birds make Pong Dam in Kangra district , their annual habitat in the winter season every year. These birds come from Siberia and other Central Asian countries, during heavy snowfall in the Northern Hemisphere .The good news is that 185 migratory birds of 14 new species have arrived so far since the last fortnight counting ,in Pong Dam this year whereas the arrival kept on till early February. This includes 6 Green Shanks, 8 Green Sand Piper, 6 Brown Headed Gulls and 8 Northern Shoveler . According to Krishan Kumar, Divisional Forest Officer, Nagrota Surian in Kangra district, till 8/11/18 counting a total number of 22161 visiting birds of 144 species have been sighted in the area, the largest number so far of Bar Headed Goose which counted 6486, followed by 3740 Nothern pintail, 3408 Common Teal and 2900 Common Coot. 1,10,000 Migratary Birds visited pong Lake Last year as compaired to 1.27 lakh in last to last season. Authorities say that this year arrival is expected much more due to early arrival of the winter.