The onset of monsoon in the State has brought winged visitors in droves to the Vedanthangal bird sanctuary.

Open-billed storks are the first to have arrived this season. Nearly 500 of the birds have set up colonies in the trees at the sanctuary, which was opened to visitors on Monday.

According to forest department officials, on an average, 30,000 birds colonise, roost and breed at the sanctuary during the migratory season that begins in November. Birds may even linger on, up to July, depending on the availability of water and feed.

They feed from the nearby Madurantakam lake and a few other waterbodies in and around Vedanthangal.

K.V. Sudhakar, president, Madras Naturalists’ Society, said that way back in 1798, Lionell Place, the then collector of Chengalpattu, declared Vedanthangal a protected area, banning the hunting of birds there.

Subsequent Britishers who served as collectors too ensured no poaching took place there.

Vedanthangal is one of the oldest bird sanctuaries in the country, said Mr. Sudhakar.

A large number of birds flock to the sanctuary as a variety of insects, tadpoles, frogs and snails can be found in the nearby paddy fields.

Numbers on the rise

K. Geethanjali, wildlife warden, Chennai, said the number of birds colonising the sanctuary has been on the rise in the past three years.

In 2011-12, the sanctuary had recorded nearly 18,300 birds, and this number had risen to 23,000 in the 2012-13 season. In 2013-14, more than 27,000 birds had come and stayed till June, she said.

In the nearby Karikili sanctuary, where ducks arrive during the migratory season, the numbers seem to be going down, however.

During 2012-13, more than 5,000 birds had visited, but in the subsequent year, the number had gone down to 2,700, said Ms. Geethanjali.

Best time to visit

According to experts, the best times to visit the sanctuary are between 5.30 a.m. and 7.30 a.m. and from 5 p.m. to 6.30 p.m. For accommodation on prior reservation basis, call: 044-22351471.