JODHPUR, Sept. 9 -- The first flock of demoiselle cranes, locally known as kurja, has arrived at Khinchan village in Phalodi district, marking the beginning of another winter migration season. The first flock was sighted on August 26 this year, one of the earliest arrivals recorded at the famous wintering ground over the past 17 years. 'Kurja usually begin arriving in late August or the first week of September, and their numbers increase over the following weeks,' bird watcher Sevaram Mali said. The cranes travel thousands of kilometres from their breeding grounds to reach Rajasthan, with Khinchan being one of their important traditional wintering sites. The village is also known for its community feeding the birds during their stay. The earliest arrival in the 17-year record was recorded on August 6, 2024, while the latest was September 9, 2015. Dau Lal Bohra, head of the zoology department at Seth Gyaniram Bansidhar Podar College, Jhunjhunu, and associated with an international network tracking migratory birds, said the dates point to a remarkably consistent seasonal cycle. Bohra said the migration pattern is also shaped by conditions in the birds' breeding range. The central population of the demoiselle crane migrates to the Indian subcontinent, with small ponds in villages around Jodhpur serving as some of its important traditional wintering sites. The onset of severe winter and falling temperatures in the Russian Arctic acts as an important environmental cue for southward migration, he said....