CITY OF MALOLOS — Bulacan and Central Luzon’s wetlands are now being made as wintering grounds by migratory birds.

These birds from the northern hemisphere make the region its wintering groundsfrom October to March.

Among the migratory birds sighted in Central Luzon were wandering whistling ducks, grey heron, black winged stinls, little egrets, red shanks, whiskered fern, marsh sand pipers, common red shanks, black-winged silt, black-headed gulls among others.

Emelita Lingat, head of the provincial environment and natural resources office (PENRO) in Bulacan of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, said a census of the birds population will be conducted in January next year.

PENRO records showed that migratory birds in Bulacan find its way to the mangrove forest cover in the Manila Bay coastal Barangay of Masukol In Paombong, Barangay Pugad in Hagonoy, Barangay Pamarawan in Malolos, Barangay Tawiran in Obando and Barangay Ubihan in Meycauayan.

On the other hand, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources office in Central Luzon reported that the largest concentration of migratory birds are found in the wetlands of Manila Bay in Pampanga particularly in Barangays Mabuanbuan, Batang 1st, Batang 2nd, Sebitanan, Malusak and Bangkang Malapad in Sasmuan town and Barangay Consule in Macabebe town.

It can also be found in the Manila Bay areas, in Barangay Tortugas, Lote, Sibacan, Puerto Rivas Ibaba and Balanga Wetland and Nature Park in Balanga City, Bataan.

For the inland wetlands in Central Luzon, the migratory birds are found in Barangay Dona Simang in Candaba, Pampanga; Barangay Canaren in Victoria, Tarlac; Masiway Spillway and Pantabangan Reservoir, Barangay Paitan in Cuyapo, Barangay San Vicente in Cabiao, in the province of Nueva Ecija; Barangays Calangcuasan, Cozo and Lual in Casiguran, Aurora.

Photo: Mon Lazaro