Anavulundawa-Home for migrant birds

Christie Fernando,
Chilaw special correspondent

Anavulundawa is a bird sanctuary located about 10km from Chilaw. It is said to be a ‘Ramsar’ wetland where diverse migrant birds arrive during the migration season. Anavulundawa covers an extent of nearly 1400 hectares.

If you start from Chilaw on the Chilaw-Puttalam road, you come to a village called Anavulundawa. Detouring from the main road and driving westward on a gravel road, you arrive at a ‘bird watcher’s paradise. ‘Ramsar’ sites are wetland of international importance designated under the Ramsar Convention. In UK for instance, the first Ramsar sites were designated in 1978.

Besides, there are two other “Ramsar” wetlands namely Bundala and Madugama. These locations are amazing sites to visit if you are a bird enthusiast – to observe and take pictures of birds. When you visit these sites you could also survey the birds that migrate as well as other indigenous birds.

The main attractions of the Anavulundawa sanctuary are the large and small species of birds.

At present, about 150 documented bird species at the sanctuary have made it a popular destination among many bird-watching enthusiasts. When I visited this haven for birds a few weeks ago, I gazed at a number of birds but I couldn’t discern whether they were migrant birds.

The Wewa (tank) system of Anavulundawa is of historical significance because it consists of seven small cascading reservoirs namely, Pinkattiya, Wellaweea, Maradansole, Irrakkawalal lhsala Wewa, Anavulundawa, Suruwila and Maiyawa. Each tank is intricately connected to the other which makes this tank system that much more unique and distinctive.

The tank system here helps sustain traditional paddyfields in the area as well as other islets of natural vegetation.

The tanks store up water during the dry season for irrigation purposes and also play a major role in flood control, retention of pollutants and sediments.

At this juncture, it must be said by way digression that the sound of gun-fire which reverberated in the North has been lulled for ever with the cessation of hostilities, metamorphosing into a frenzy of the past.

As if in a reverie, ruminating on the concluded war, it’s unusual that we who reside in Chilaw hear birds singing pleasant melodies and harmonies everyday.

The chirpy, cheery and idyllic birds perch on the branches of trees close to my home and warble tuneful melodies. The cuckoo bird too is heard singing lusty songs.

This indeed is a symbol to usher in peace, signifying there is harmony and stability in the country. It’s indeed a supreme reality and we wonder how it all came to pass! For lasting peace has dawned on our soil.

We applaud to, the pragmatic policies of President Mahinda Rajapaksa who defeated the enemy and won the war compellingly. So henceforth, rancour, ill-will and animosity should not exist.

But authentic peace and love should pervade amongst us always among our sociable communities.