Chennai: With the onset of migratory season for birds, one cannot miss the pelican characterised by its long beak and large throat pouch or the tall, pink wading birds with thick downturned bills, the flamingos, when one is on a boating trip in the backwaters of Muttukadu near here. The brackish water lagoon — the Mudaliarkuppam, about 92 km from here has also thousands of migratory birds flocking regularly. The pied wagtail, pied kingfisher, egrets, cormorants and sandpipers are among the various species that can be spotted here. Birds are prominent visitors from November to February.
The Mudaliarkuppam boating yard or Raindrop Boathouse as it is called, is also a water sport facility, developed by the TTDC on the Odiyur lake backwaters and has rowing, speed boating, water scooting and kayaking options for visitors. Boating is increasingly patronised by visitors, mostly families at these two boating yards. Taking into account the increasing footfalls at the boating yards and also the heartwarming arrival of winged visitors, the TTDC has plans to refurbish the Muttukadu and Mudaliarkuppam boathouses. Apart from inducting more boats and other amenities, the corporation proposes to erect a watchtower. A parking lot, illumination, drinking water and sanitation facilities, among others, will also be provided.
Week-ends are the busiest days at the boating yards. On an average over 5,000 persons visit the Muttukadu boathouse on Sundays and 2,000 on Saturdays. Besides about 800 to 1,000 persons visit the boathouse on a daily basis from 9 am to 6 pm, a senior TTDC official said.
The entire stretch of the ECR till the Kovalam — Kelambakkam road is a good birding location. One can see grey pelicans, painted storks, terns, house swallows, Indian robins here and at the Crocodile Bank, one can spot egrets, night herons, and cormorants, among others — in addition to crocodiles, turtles and snakes.
