In an otherwise sleepy and frozen valley, migratory birds from across the borders are gathering for an eventful winter season. The cackle of the migratory Graylag Geese or the occasional howl of a jackal waiting in ambush for its prey are the only distractions in the long, dull silence of chilly nights in Kashmir’s countryside in the winter.

Thousands of migratory birds have already reached the Valley and are thronging most of the wetland reserves here. The winters last year were harsh and long. And that’s why the forest officials are expecting a huge number of migratory birds to land at the Kashmir Wetlands this year.

In the neighboring state of Himachal, thousands of birds have already landed at three different wetlands, Pong Dam Wetland being one of the most visited among the three.

Even Renuka Wetland is expecting a good show of migratory birds this year.