Nature's spectacle unfolds as birds descend on Chalan Beel

SINGRA, NATORE, Oct 22: Chalan Beel, known as a treasure trove of fish and crops, has once again welcomed hundreds of thousands of birds this year.
 
From the crack of dawn, the unrestricted movement of silver treasures of various fish species, the calls of white herons, gulls, cotton pygmy geese, cormorants, waterhens and, with the onset of winter, migratory birds, the chirping, clamour and humming of thousands of unknown birds spreading their wings across the blue sky, and the meditative image of the rishi heron have created a sense of pure joy in people's hearts. 

The incomparable sight of diving into the shallow water of the beel to catch tengra, puti, patasi, shing and mola fish, together with the birds running about, has created a heavenly environment. This gathering of nature attracts everyone's attention. The entire Chalan Beel is now noticeable for the arrival of migratory birds.

According to sources, this Chalan Beel stretches across Natore, Sirajganj and Pabna districts. In particular, it lies across most of Singra Upazila. In this beel, on both sides of the Natore-Bogura highway and along the Singra-Baruhas-Tarash submerged road, one can see the flying, calling and clamour of white herons, cormorants, shell-duck, cotton pygmy geese and numerous other migratory birds amid nature. And in the knee-deep water full of fish, the daily gatherings of flocks of migratory birds have created a heavenly atmosphere across Chalan Beel. The image of migratory birds moving about in flocks across Chalan Beel in the light of the crack of dawn will enchant anyone.

Hasibul Hasan, a farmer of Petrobangla Village in Singra, said that the white heron in particular is known as a friend of the farmers of Chalan Beel. This year, hundreds of thousands of migratory birds have arrived in this beel. Among them, white herons are seen the most. These herons benefit farmers by eating harmful insects of crops. Again, during ploughing, flocks of white herons gather behind to eat insects. Moreover, birds enhance the beauty of the beel.

Saiful Islam, General Secretary of the Chalan Beel Biodiversity Protection Committee, said that every year at this time, flocks of various species of migratory birds, including herons, cotton pygmy geese, cormorants and shell-duck, arrive in Chalan Beel to feed themselves. The movement of birds and their spreading of wings amid nature creates a delightful environment. Meanwhile, some greedy hunters also set traps and hunt those birds. To protect the birds of this beel, they have been rushing to the remote areas of the beel since 2012. They inform the administration against bird hunting and carry out various awareness programmes to protect birds and biodiversity in the beel.

Abdullah Al Rifat, Upazila Nirbahi Officer, said that Chalan Beel is a beel full of biodiversity. Numerous birds have arrived in this beel. To protect the birds and biodiversity of the beel, members of the Chalan Beel Biodiversity Protection Committee remain engaged from the crack of dawn. Already, with their cooperation, some dishonest professional bird hunters have been fined by the district. As a result, a safe shelter for birds has been created. The movement of birds in the green nature of the beel has brought back life.

Anwarul Islam, the local Member of Parliament, said that he is working with the aim of developing Chalan Beel, a playground of natural beauty, as a tourism industry. Members of the Chalan Beel Biodiversity Protection Committee are playing a very important role in protecting the birds and environment of this beel. He thanked the administration and local environmental workers.