For bird enthusiasts and conservationists, it was a sight to behold when they saw a huge flock of water birds at the sewerage ponds in Babesa, Thimphu.

The two sewerage ponds in Thimphu have recorded 13 water-bird species, which, according to birders, is the highest record ever, according to Kuensel newspaper.

“I’ve been birding for the last decade but this is the first time I saw such huge flocks,” a birder, Kelzang Dorji, was quoted by the newspaper.

According to e-bird, an online platform that records bird sightings, the sewerage ponds are home to 65 migratory water-birds.

The founding member of Bhutan Birdlife Society (BBS) Thinley Wangchuk, said this year the arrival of water birds in Thimphu had seen a dramatic increase in numbers.  

He said that it could be due to severe weather fluctuation seen in recent days in Bhutan, which coincided with many water bird species picking their migration back to summer breeding grounds in the north through Bhutan as a flyaway zone.

“Thimphu received one of the highest water-bird flocks in a single day so far with diverse species; species richness and abundance too,” BBS’s social media page on February 28 said.

As the area is seeing developmental activities, conservationists and birders feel it would threaten water birds’ habitat.

Wangchuk said as the area was visited by international and local birdwatchers, conserving the area for future economic activities have become more important, and authorities should construct the area in such a way that is “suitable for both the public and birdlife.”