Ornithological Records from Soula Beach in East Midnapore district, West Bengal

Mandarmani boasts a recorded 118 bird species on eBird. About an hour from this popular tourist destination lies a fascinating estuarine system where the Pichaboni River merges with the Hooghly River estuary before flowing into the brackish waters of the Bay of Bengal. This dynamic transitional habitat, where freshwater and saltwater mix, forms an ecotone—an interface between two biomes characterized by rapid environmental change and distinct biological communities (Muylaert et al., 2009).

Estuaries support a diverse assemblage of benthic organisms, including epibenthic and endobenthic macro-invertebrates, as well as meiofaunal communities, with nematodes numerically dominating the latter (Xuan et al., 2007). Invertebrates inhabiting the muddy and sandy substrates, of estuaries form a crucial component of the food web. They also serve as critical refuelling sites for a spectacular number of shorebirds during their biannual migratory journeys. Adapted to foraging in these silty landscapes, waders possess specialized visual systems and highly sensitive bills that enable them to detect and extract hidden invertebrates with remarkable precision.

On the morning of 18 February 2025, I set out for Soula Sea Beach (21.69° N, 87.75° E), located 10 km from Contai town of Purba Medinipur District, though locally popular for its scenic beauty, remains largely undocumented in ornithological records. Only a portion of the Pichaboni River, just before its confluence with the sea, is accessible by foot. The estuary’s mouth and the vast mudflats fringing it are reachable only by boat. A small fishing harbour dots the landscape, where fishermen engaged in their daily routines prepare their boats and mend their nets, their livelihood deeply intertwined with these waters.

From the main road, I traversed an open grassland interspersed with Sueda and mangrove-associated vegetation, leading to an expanse of soft, golden sand. Here, an army of red ghost crabs scuttled about, their movements synchronized like clockwork. The slightest disturbance sent them vanishing into their burrows in an instant only to cautiously re-emerge moments later.

As I moved further, the landscape transitioned into vast mudflats, now fully exposed under the receding tide. The rich, silty terrain, teeming with invertebrates, had become a feeding ground for small peeps, tirelessly foraging across the open flats. The mudflats were perforated with small holes which were the burrows of hundreds of Fidler crabs as well as the sand bubbler crabs.

After spending two hours I made the following observations. A group of approximately ten to twenty Pacific Golden Plovers (Pluvialis fulva) were observed foraging on the exposed mudflats alongside Little Stints (Calidris minuta), Tibetan Sand Plovers (Charadrius atrifrons), and Kentish Plovers (Charadrius alexandrinus). Additionally, a flock of around hundred unidentified waders was recorded in murmuration, though species identification was not possible due to inaccessibility. Approximately ten Common Sandpipers (Actitis hypoleucos) were also observed. Among the Little Stints, a few juveniles were noted foraging alongside adults, while some Kentish Plovers displayed partial breeding plumage. One notable record of a Temminck's stint (Calidris temminckii) was also made, it was observed foraging alongside little stint. Other species recorded in the area included Great Egret (Ardea alba), Little Egret (Egretta garzetta), Indian Cormorant (Phalacrocorax fuscicollis), Green Bee-eater (Merops orientalis), and Black Drongo (Dicrurus macrocercus).

Many wetlands in India provide suitable habitats for waders and are part of both the East Asian–Australasian Flyway (EAAF) and the Central Asian Flyway, which serve as critical stopover sites for migratory shorebirds. Several migratory species utilizing these flyways are experiencing rapid population declines (Wilson et al. 2011; Clemens et al. 2016; Studds et al. 2017; Hansen et al. 2022). Effective conservation of these species requires the identification and protection of key habitats that support distinct populations throughout their annual cycles (Runge et al. 2015; Hansen et al. 2022).

There are few documented records of birds from this region. Given its geographic location and ecological characteristics, the Pichaboni estuary has the potential to serve as an important site for migratory waders. However, a systematic study is necessary to assess its significance, determine species composition, and evaluate its role within the broader migratory network.

List of Birds observed and their numbers

Tibetan Sand Plover (Anarhynchus atrifrons) - 100

Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos)- 10

Kentish Plover (Anarhynchus alexandrinus)- 12

Little Stint (Calidris minuta) - 20

Temminck's stint (Calidris temminckii) - 6

Pacific Golden Plover (Pulvialis fulva) - 30 

Great Egret (Ardea alba) - 50

Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) - 20

Indian Cormorant (Phalacrocorax fuscicollis) -10     

Green Bee eater (Merops orientalis) -1

Black Drongo (Dicrurus macrocercus) - 1

REFERENCE

1.  Clemens, R., Rogers, D.I., Hansen, B.D., Gosbell, K., Minton, C.D.T., Straw, P., Bamford, M., Woehler, E.J., Milton, D.A., Weston, M.A., Venables, B., Wellet, D., Hassell, C., Rutherford, B., Onton, K., Herrod, A., Studds, C.E., Choi, C.-Y., Dhanjal-Adams, K.L., Murray, N.J., Skilleter, G.A. & Fuller, R.A. 2016. Continental-scale decreases in shorebird populations in Australia. Emu-Aust. Ornithol. 116: 119–135.

2.  Hansen, Birgita D., Danny I. Rogers, Doug Watkins, Dan R. Weller, Robert S. Clemens, Mike Newman, Eric J. Woehler, Taej Mundkur, and Richard A. Fuller, 2022 "Generating population estimates for migratory shorebird species in the world’s largest flyway." Ibis 164, no. 3: 735-749.

3.  Muylaert, Koenraad, Koen Sabbe, and Wim Vyverman, 2009. "Changes in phytoplankton diversity and community composition along the salinity gradient of the Schelde estuary (Belgium/The Netherlands)." Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 82, no. 2: 335-340.

4.   Runge, C.A., Watson, J.E.M., Butchart, S.H.M., Hanson, J.O., Possingham, H.P. & Fuller, R.A, 2015. Protected areas and global conservation of migratory birds. Science 350: 1255–1258.

5.  Studds, C.E., Kendall, B.E., Murray, N.J., Wilson, H.B., Rogers, D.I., Clemens, R.S., Gosbell, K., Hassell, C.J., Jessop, R., Melville, D.S., Milton, D.A., Minton, C.D.T., Possingham, H.P., Riegen, A.C., Straw, P., Woehler, E.J. & Fuller, R.A, 2017. Rapid population decline in migratory shorebirds relying on Yellow Sea tidal mudflats as stopover sites. Nat. Comm. 8: 1–7

6.  Wilson, H.B., Kendall, B.E., Fuller, R.A., Milton, D.A. & Possingham, H.P, 2011. Analyzing variability and the rate of decline of migratory shorebirds in Moreton Bay, Australia. Cons. Biol. 25: 758–766

7.  Xuan, Quang Ngo, Ann Vanreusel, Nguyen Vu Thanh, and Nic Smol, 2007. "Biodiversity of meiofauna in the intertidal Khe Nhan mudflat, Can Gio mangrove forest, Vietnam with special emphasis on free living nematodes." Ocean Science Journal 42: 135-152.